A Fresh Start
by AstridWinchester
Summary: <html><head></head>When Buffy goes to pay her respects, she makes a friend. What will happen when she decides to move to Plainsboro where she meets the insufferable Dr. House?</html>
1. Chapter 1

**A Fresh Start**

Buffy gazed at the headstone in front of her somberly, her eyes tracing over each letter of the epitaph. Being a Slayer, Buffy Summers had buried too many people she'd known and cared for, but this one she hadn't been particularly close to. They'd had a rocky friendship in High School due to their polar opposite personalities but she'd been there for Buffy when it counted. She wished she'd known her better, but she'd heard of the girl's accomplishments for the greater good and she was proud of the girl she once knew. They hadn't had much in common, but they had both joined the fight against their will and had risen above it to do great things. They'd both loved the same man, even if he was over 200 years or so.

Buffy was so deep in her musings she didn't hear someone approach from behind but her Slayer senses told her he was human, and therefore not a threat. She cast a side-long glance at the person and saw a young guy with shaggy brownish blonde hair that flopped into his eyes and that he was dressed casually. His jeans were wrinkled and worn and he wore a pale blue polo and he seemed to be studying the same grave she was. He caught her looking so she jerked her eyes back to the headstone and tried not to blush. She felt like a school girl peeking at a boy she liked and it felt weird because there wasn't any kind of attraction between them.

"She's my cousin," the guy said softly to her and she turned to look at him again in sympathy. Like every red-blooded American, she loved accents and his was Australian by the sounds of it. "I just heard about her accident the other day." His voice broke and Buffy felt a pang of guilt and sympathy for the guy. Angel had told her the real story behind the seer's death and that they were going to use a cover of her being in an accident then a coma which she'd just died of. She could hardly tell this guy that though, so she settled for saying nothing.

"Did you know her?" He asked, meeting her gaze and offering a shaky smile.

"Yeah," Buffy smiled back at the memories in her head about his cousin. "We went to high school together."

"The one that blew up? She told me about that. She said there was always some weird stuff going on in Sunnydale." He answered with a fond faraway smile.

"One and the same, we had some crazy things happen, that's for sure." Buffy looked back at the headstone and knelt to place the roses in her hand on the ground. He watched her in silence until she stood again, her fingertips touching the top of the stone. "My name's Buffy, Buffy Summers." She told him and turned to hold her hand out in an offer of friendship that he accepted.

"Dr. Robert Chase. Most people just call me Chase though. iShe/i called me Robbie when we were younger." He answered, inclining his head at the 'she'. "Were you and her friends?"

Buffy hesitated. "Kind of, we weren't that much alike but she was a good friend when it counted. And she worked with a close friend of mine in L.A. before the accident."

"That Angel guy?" Chase inquired. "She told me a little about him, in between gushing about her acting jobs." He bent to place his own small bouquet next to hers. "I don't mean to be rude, but would you mind.." He trailed off and she widened her eyes when she caught on to what he was asking. "You don't have to leave though, I just.."

"Oh! No, no problem, I'm just going to go over there and be away." Buffy gestured off to the side and wandered away to give him some space with the grave of his cousin. She was far enough to give him some privacy but close enough to hear at the same time. She wondered if she should leave but decided not to, maybe he needed a friend.

* * *

><p>Dr. Robert Chase pulled up to the cemetery just before dark and saw that the graveyard was mostly deserted. He wasn't sure where the grave of his cousin was so he walked between the gravestones at a respectful distance. He always felt it was disrespectful to walk over someone's grave so he tried to walk beside them instead. He found the one he was looking for but to his dismay a woman was standing before it. Her blond hair fell in gentle waves down her back and she stood with her feet shoulder-width apart, her hands clasped behind her back, and her head bowed as she examined the stone before her. He noticed her tense for a split second before she relaxed again, and caught her side-ways glance at him when he came to stand beside her. He saw her eyes roam over him and let his own do the same. She was dressed semi-formally in a pair of tan slacks and a beige shirt with a red jacket pulled over it. She carried a shoulder bag that was slung across her chest diagonally and was wearing very little makeup. His eyes met hers and he watched with amusement when she jerked her head back to the front, a faint blush rising in her cheeks.<p>

He decided to break the ice first, figuring that this girl probably knew his cousin, and he saw the sympathy in her eyes when she met his again. When he told her about hearing of the accident he could have sworn he saw a flash of guilt in them but he dismissed the thought. He wasn't his boss and he honestly didn't care what mysteries laid in wait about her. He wasn't attracted to her, and had the impression that she wasn't either.

He tried to smile and asked her the question that had been on his mind since he'd seen her and she smiled back in return. When she replied about her high school he flashed back on the rants and late-night calls he'd received while in med school from his cousin about some weird thing or other. The calls had become less frequent over the years but she'd still made time to catch up with him when she'd gone off to make her mark on the world of acting. She'd fed him tidbits of her acting jobs and about her boss, Angel, and her friends. She'd even mentioned a boy named Connor before the accident but when he'd tried to look up this Angel fellow, he hadn't found anything.

When she offered her hand, he accepted it, and he felt a small bit of warmth from the physical contact. It wasn't a flash of desire, merely the acknowledgment of a friendly gesture. Her hand was smaller than his, her palms callused but her skin was smooth and she wore little jewelry aside from a cross around her neck and a fashionable watch on one slender wrist. He told her his name and they stayed in silence for a long moment before asking her some more questions. He remembered the flowers in his other hand and bent to place them beside her own, suddenly wanting to be alone with his cousin's memory. He couldn't think of a way to phrase his request without sounding unbelievably rude but she got it and moved a few feet away.

He touched one hand to the grass and sat, not really caring about grass stains for the moment. He felt his mind whirling with thoughts and memories and conversations as he struggled to find a place to start. He lifted his gaze to the name engraved upon the stone and he felt his heart break again as her laughing face flashed before his eyes.

"Hey Cordy. I'm a doctor now, living in New Jersey. I work at this big hospital called Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. It's not so bad, I'm part of a team that diagnoses and treats illnesses and things like that. My boss is an arse."

He laughed a little as he thought of his ornery boss. He ripped a blade of grass from the earth and started to tear it to tiny pieces, unsure what else to say. "He's a good doctor, brilliant but he's a total jerk. I'm learning a lot from him though when he's not driving me insane with annoyance. Plainsboro is a small town, but it's nice. You'd probably hate it," he said with a fond smile. "The mall is only one floor and half the stores sell things you'd never touch in a million years."

He got to his feet again and looked down at the head stone and he saw Buffy approach from the corner of his eye. She was giving him a sympathetic look but he didn't want her sympathy so he nodded and turned back to his car. He heard her light foot steps behind him and a hand clasped his shoulder, offering comfort. He turned and she saw all the pain and weariness in his sad eyes and her heart tore for the young doctor.

"I was hoping you could tell me about her?" She asked hesitantly and he got really still under her palm. "I only knew her a little in school and I think I'd like to know who she was before she came to SunnyD."

The gratitude in his eyes was so overwhelming that he couldn't speak for a moment but managed a shaky nod of assent. He opened the passenger's side door for her and she climbed in, then waited as he circled the small gray Chevy and occupied the empty driver's side of the car. They talked and compared stories as he drove around, neither wanted to go their separate ways just yet. Before he dropped her off at the apartment she was staying at, they exchanged phone numbers and a promise to stay in touch. As Buffy watched his Chevy drive out of sight she felt herself smile, and her steps were lighter as she walked into her apartment. She'd enjoyed talking with Chase, and she hoped to run into him again sometime. She cast a glance skyward and smiled, hoping her friend could hear her. "Thanks Cordy."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Buffy stared up at the hospital with apprehension. She'd kept in touch with Chase in the 4 months it had been since they'd met but she hadn't been able to visit him. He'd often call to talk about Cordy but after a while they became comfortable enough to have normal non-strained conversations about work and such. Buffy had to edit hers however but she enjoyed her talks with him whenever he wanted to vent about some patient or his boss, the ego-centric Dr. House. Oh yes, she'd heard a lot about Dr. House and very little of it was of the good.

She and Willow had gotten word that a Slayer was living in a town near Plainsboro and she'd flown out to meet the girl and start working with her over a week ago. Buffy felt a bit at odds these days with Dawnie off in college and Xander and Willow all spread apart. She hadn't even heard much from Giles or Faith or Andrew. She had heard that Faith and Robin had taken up shop in Cleveland and that Andrew was making noises about becoming a Watcher. So when news of the Mini-Slayer had reached her she'd agreed to go and train the girl, Lauren. The Slayers that had survived the battle with the First were spread out too so she didn't know where they were, though occasionally she did get a call or letter from them. She was even considering moving here, getting her own apartment, the whole kit-n-caboodle. What was a caboodle anyway?

She'd probably walked and jogged past the hospital a dozen times since she'd gotten into town but she just didn't have the nerve to go in and find Chase. Talking on the phone was all fine and good but she felt a little weird just waltzing into his work. She heard shuffled footsteps behind her and half-turned to see a man with a cane and a biker jacket approaching. He was taller than her, with a five a clock shadow that clearly said he didn't care about his appearance. His cane was black and had flames at the bottom of it and he was dressed casually in jeans and a shirt with a blazer-type jacket thrown over it. He looked distinctly rumpled and regarded her with hard cynical eyes.

"It's probably not going to do a trick so watching it's pretty pointless," he retorted. She blinked slowly at him but before she could think of anything to say he limped inside and the doors closed with a hiss behind him. '_What was that about?'_ She wondered and took a deep breath before walking inside the hospital after him.

She glanced around the busy lobby at the nurses and doctors walking this way and that and noticed Cane guy get into an elevator, and then she started when he winked at her before the doors closed. _'Weird'_ she thought and approached the Front desk. She waited till she had the receptionist's attention and gave her a friendly smile.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Dr. Chase. Do you know where I can find him?" She asked politely and the woman shuffled a few papers and nodded.

"Yes, Dr. Chase is up in his office working on a case for Dr. House. Do you know where that is?" The woman answered and Buffy shook her head. "Take the elevator to the fourth floor and take a right, you'll find a door with Dr. Gregory House on it, can't miss it."

Buffy thanked her and headed for the elevator, then waited anxiously for it to arrive. She adjusted her clothes and checked her hair and took a steadying breath. Why was she so nervous? She and Chase were friends, not like there was any romance-potential there. A bell sounded to indicate the arrival of the elevator and she stepped inside, pressed the button for the right floor and waited for the doors to close again. She fixed her gaze on the lit-up numbers above the door and shifted from one foot to the other restlessly. She went over possible scenarios in her mind, wondering how exactly she was going to explain her presence in NJ.

When she arrived on the right floor she glanced down the hallway and saw a few more doctors walking past, clipboards in their hands. She set off in the direction the receptionist had told her to, slipping her hands into her pockets as she walked. She finally came upon a glass door with the name **Dr. Gregory House M.D**. and glanced inside. The office was dark and empty but she heard voices in the one next to it, Chase's voice in particular. She didn't understand much of what they were saying since it was probably all medical-ese so she knocked on the door before opening it and poking her head in. The door was glass so they already knew it was her but Limp Guy straightened and the others turned in their chairs to inspect the newcomer. Chase smiled instantly and stood to give her a hug of welcome which she returned happily.

The rest gave each other speculative looks but she heard Cane Guy clear his throat loudly. Chase stepped back and released her but he was grinning.

"If I'd known it was bring your hooker to work day I'd have told mine to come along." Cane Guy said and Chase whipped his head around to glare at his boss. Buffy didn't even stop to think; she just took 3 steps and brought her fist back in a punch, connecting with the guy's jaw. He staggered a little and brought a hand to her jaw but he didn't look mad, in fact he looked intrigued.

"Uh, Buffy this is my boss, Dr. Gregory House." Chase interjected once he got his voice back. The rest of the doctors were gaping at her in astonishment.

"I'm not a hooker, thank you very much." She snapped in annoyance. She swung her gaze back to Chase and her cold tone softened. "Meet you for lunch?" She asked.

He nodded and she tossed Dr. House another glare before stalking out the door again and toward the stairs. She heard Dr. House say something to his team and the sound of shuffling and his cane as he followed her. "Hey you!" He called and she stopped, turning to look at him, her hands on her hips.

She waited for him to reach her and he leaned one hand on his cane and stretched his bruised jaw. He appraised her with a cool glint in his eye as if she was a new puzzle he had to figure out and it made her a little uneasy. The last thing she needed was some guy butting into her life trying to find out all of her secrets.

"How do you know Dr. Chase?" He asked finally and she cocked her head to one side as she contemplated her answer.

"How's that any of your business?" She growled.

Her tone didn't faze him however because he just smiled. "Everything's my business, I make it my business." He smirked.

"I was a friend of his cousin's." She relented. "That was really rude, calling me a hooker you know." She fumed with a petulant frown.

"If I wasn't rude I wouldn't be me." He tossed back with a careless shrug.

"Well maybe your mother should have taught you the Bambi rule," she said. He raised an eyebrow at her so she explained. "If you can't say something nice, you shouldn't say anything at all." She pretended to think for a moment as she heard the sound of heels clacking toward them. "Although that'd leave you pretty much mute wouldn't it?" She turned on her heel and stalked off.

House chuckled as he watched the blond walk to the elevator and pressed the button. She heard him ask the brown haired woman that approached him, "Can I keep her mommy?" Buffy cracked a reluctant smile then ducked her head so he wouldn't see.

"House don't you have clinic duty?" The woman asked in an exasperated voice.

"But _Cuddles_," House whined as Buffy stepped into the elevator. He watched the doors close but did as he was told, thinking about the new puzzle in town.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Buffy walked into the cafeteria and glanced around but she didn't see Chase yet so she went to the line to order. She grabbed a tray and loaded it with a turkey on rye sandwich, an orange and an apple, a helping of broccoli and a sliver of chocolate cake and a soda. She paid the cashier and found an empty table to start in on her lunch while she waited, her stomach rumbled as she consumed her sandwich.

The door opened and people started to enter the cafeteria but she continued eating, figuring that Chase would see her and come over if it was him. Instead she heard the telltale sound of none other than Dr. Gregory House coming toward her but she ignored him until he sat in the chair opposite her. He stretched his bad leg out and rubbed a hand over it absently as he scowled at her. She continued to eat despite him, wondering how long he'd sit there before saying something.

"Buffy Summers wasn't it?" He stated finally and she glanced up at him through her long lashes. He'd grilled Chase for several minutes but all he'd managed to wrangle out of his duckling was the girl's name. When he'd tried to look online for some kind of information he found he was blocked which only added to his curiosity.

"The one and only." She piped up and flashed him a grin before spearing a piece of her cake and shoving it into her mouth. "So, you gonna buy me dinner?" She asked idly, popping the tab of her coke and taking a sip to wash the chocolaty yumminess down her throat.

"Why would I do that?" He asked, stumped.

"Well, if you're so damned intent on delving into my personal life, it's only polite to buy me dinner." Her voice dripped sarcasm but he was oblivious to it, instead he seemed to be weighing that option.

"Maybe you're right, girls gotta eat." He eyed her and then her half full tray of food. "Although the way you pack it away I might have to dip into my 401K."

Buffy scowled at him in protest, and then glanced at her own plate. Her lunch today was a lot less than she normally ate but he'd just implied she was fat or something. "I have a high metabolism, and besides that was a joke. Like I'd really got out with _you_."

House gasped and placed a hand over his heart in mock indignation. "That just breaks my heart." He whined and Buffy snorted in laughter.

"You have no heart. You have an organ that pumps blood, and clearly you're missing that little nerve that connects your mouth to your head."

She patted her lips daintily with her napkin and peeled her orange into sections and he promptly snatched one before she could defend it. He popped it into his mouth but when he tried to grab another she picked up her fork and held it poised above his hand in warning.

He withdrew his hand slowly and stared at her with renewed fascination. Not a lot of people could dish out what he threw at them and this girl could not only take his verbal abuse but she tossed her own jabs at him in return and she wasn't the least bit intimidated by him.

Buffy thought about the offer for several minutes as she studied him beneath the guise of peeling her orange. She wouldn't have minded playing some more verbal hockey with the arrogant doctor and it would provide her with a free meal.

"_If_ I agree," she began as her green eyes met his blue. "Are you going to be grilling me about Chase et al.?" She asked clearly and he started to grin in triumph.

"She's quick." He answered and Buffy nodded to herself. "Going once, going twice," he watched her and she finally inclined her head in acceptance. House spotted Wilson entering the cafeteria and got to his feet to go bum lunch from his friend. She re-focused on her orange and gave him a polite smile then her eyes lit up marginally as Chase approached the table, tray in hand.

House nodded at his minion and Chase nodded back before taking his vacated seat across from Buffy who placed half of her orange upon Chase's tray and gave House a cheeky grin. He chuckled and started to walk over to Wilson, leaning on his cane.

He turned back to her though as a thought struck him and he raised his voice so she could hear him when she caught the movement and glanced at him in question. "I hope you like wings." He stated and she grinned back at him while Chase looked between the two with a confused expression.

Buffy watched House limp away and laughed at the look she was getting from Chase whose jaw was hanging open slightly in awe. He walked over to another young guy and they argued for a few minutes as House grabbed a tray and began adding food to it. She observed the guy's sidelong glance at her as he sighed at his friend and she smiled at him. He returned the smile automatically and was abruptly swatted on the back of the head by House, who lectured him about flirting with younger women. The guy blushed at his friend's gall but paid for their lunches. House conspicuously chose a booth right behind Buffy and Chase's so he could overhear everything that was said and Buffy laughed again at his antics. Clearly if she decided to stay here she'd never be bored around him.

"Did you just..." Chase gestured to her and to House, unwilling to finish the unfathomable sentence.

"He asked me to dinner, was a real gentleman, got down on his good knee and everything. It'd be rude of me to turn him down." She answered with a mischievous twinkle in her eye as his jaw dropped lower. She heard the sound of House chuckling from his seat behind her and she tossed an uneaten orange section over her shoulder at him which he ate.

"So what are you doing in Jersey?" Chase asked once his brain started operating again, abandoning the peculiar subject of his friend and his boss. Buffy heard House's bench creak as he leaned back to hear her reply.

"Well you know how I said I teach teenage girls self-defense?" she answered as she started on her apple. He nodded and she continued, "I got word that there's a girl in a town near here and I agreed to train her. I remembered where you said you worked so here I am." She smiled perkily at him and munched on her apple.

"Oh ok, so how long are you in town for?" He asked as he ate his own lunch and they both ignored his nosy boss who was thoroughly ignoring Wilson's attempts to distract him from eavesdropping.

"Not sure yet, I was thinking about getting an apartment. She's going to college in Princeton and it'd make sense if I got a place where she could go when she's off campus with enough room to train. It's still up in the air right now though." She continued to eat what was left of her lunch and then eyed her tray thoughtfully. "So, can we get seconds or what?" She asked as her stomach growled distinctly.

Chase laughed and she heard House cough to cover his own laugh at her expense but she ignored him. Wilson had given up on engaging house in conversation and was reading over a bunch of papers in a manila folder while he ate.

Once he assured her that she could get more she grinned and got up to do so. She carried her tray to the line and re-loaded it with another sandwich, a banana this time, some grapes, and a yogurt. She gave the cashier a sunny smile and returned to her table with Chase who was finishing up his own food. He gave her tray a bemused look and his lips twitched with the effort not to smile at the amount of food. She caught the look and shrugged in reply, "like I told Limpy McLimperton over there," she tossed a grape over her shoulder at House as she spoke. "I have a high metabolism." Chase and House both chuckled at her and she jumped slightly when her phone started to ring.

She silenced the ringtone and saw that it was Willow calling her so she opened it to accept the call, then covered the receiver to tell Chase, "I gotta take this, I'll be right back." She stood and went out into the hallway to talk to Willow in private.

"Hey Wills, what's the what?" She asked as she covered her other ear with one hand so she could hear her friend.

"Hey Buffy!" Willow chirped and Buffy felt herself smile at her best friend's voice. "Okay, so here's the thing. I set up that website for the Council and everything but I made sure to put some wards up in case someone tried to dig deeper into you or Faith or what the Council does." Willow explained and Buffy nodded as she racked her brain, the words sounded familiar, like Willow had told her of the site and wards before. She remembered that Willow couldn't see her nod and muttered an affirmative.

"Well, apparently someone's been trying to make with the digging. Into you in particular. So this is just a heads up, okay?" Willow continued and Buffy turned to look into the cafeteria, zeroing in on House who was in conversation with his friend. She had no doubts exactly who it was that had tried to find out about her, but then again she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. Chase had often called to rant about his boss' annoying habit of snooping when he found some new puzzle that eluded him.

"Thanks Wills, I think I have an idea who it was. Did he find anything?" She asked as he felt the weight of her gaze and looked over at her. His eyebrow raised and he smirked but she ignored him to hear Willow's answer.

"Nope, I am the queen of hacker-Ville. He found out nothing that would raise any red flags." Willow replied and Buffy felt a rush of affection for her redheaded witchy friend. "How's Lauren by the way?" She asked and Buffy broke House's gaze to look at her watch. Lauren should be taking her own lunch soon and was supposed to have the afternoon off from class so they could train which meant she'd be calling herself soon.

"She's good, in fact she's supposed to call me any minute. We'll talk soon okay?" Buffy said and Willow agreed to call her that weekend. "Hey Wills?" Buffy said quickly before she hung up, "thanks for the heads up."

Buffy could almost hear the grin on Willow's face and she smiled back as Willow hung up. Buffy looked back into the cafeteria at House and Chase who looked down at his waist where his beeper was. She figured it must have gone off because he stood and said a few words to his boss. House didn't look at his own beeper or follow Chase to the door, and Buffy saw Chase roll his eyes as he headed for the exit and toward her.

He gave her an apologetic smile and a light hug when he reached her, and then said something about a patient and that he'd call her later before rushing off for the elevator. Buffy watched go while she chewed on her cheek, and then jumped again when her phone rang a second time. After seeing that it was a text from Lauren, she read it and replied as she walked back inside the cafeteria to dispose of her forgotten lunch.

Buffy set her grapes on House's tray as she passed and kept the banana, yogurt and sandwich to eat on her way to meet Lauren. He gave no sign that he noticed other than to start eating them as he continued talking to his Doctor friend. He did, however, slip her a piece of paper as she left and she opened it to find his phone number and a time scrawled on it. She guessed that was the time he'd meet her for the date and stuffed the paper into her pocket as she walked out of the cafeteria again and toward the main exit. She didn't notice both doctors watching her leave until she'd turned the corner and out of sight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Buffy and Lauren finished training around 7 that night, while they trained Buffy proposed the idea of buying an apartment or a house for Lauren to come to when she was off campus and they agreed to go place hunting that weekend. Buffy let out a weary breath after Lauren had traipsed directly to the bathroom claiming she needed a shower. Buffy wandered into the small kitchenette of her hotel room and had just emptied her pockets on the counter when she pulled out the slip of paper House had given her at lunch. She studied the paper briefly before reaching for her phone and dialing the number, then cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder as she reached into her fridge for 2 sodas, one for Lauren when she finished up her shower.

The phone rang twice before she heard House's grumpy, "Hello?"

"Uh hey, it's Buffy." She answered, reaching into a cabinet for a plastic cup to pour her drink into. "Did you still want to do dinner?"

"Definitely. Meet you in an hour?" He answered and she agreed with a smile before she hung up. She sipped her soda as Lauren bounded into the room, her damp hair falling in curly brown ringlets. Lauren Mason was a pretty girl a couple years younger than Buffy herself, with curly brown hair and kind blue eyes that always seemed to sparkle with mischief. She was about average height and build, maybe an inch taller than the blond Slayer. Lauren reminded Buffy of a mix between herself and Faith, and the girl had a unique personality and a quick wit. She genuinely loved to learn and enjoyed studying and blasting music while she trained. She was studying at Princeton for her Masters in Law and her parents lived in Nebraska but she didn't talk about her family much, Buffy had noticed. The two girls had clicked immediately and were often up late training or talking, sometimes just eating snacks and watching chick flicks.

Lauren heard the tail end of Buffy's conversation and grinned at her before going over to her clothes rack the hotel provided and picked through outfits for just the right one. Buffy watched her and yay-ed or nay-ed a few of the girl's selections before she finally settled on an ankle length suede brown skirt, a creamy peach colored shirt with a V-neck, and since it was warm outside a jacket wasn't necessary. Buffy sorted through her jewelry for appropriate accessories and grabbed a clutch big enough for a tube of lipstick, her keys, phone, and Mr. Pointy (just in case). Once her outfit was assembled she made a beeline for the empty bathroom to wash away the sweat from training.

She'd given House the name of the hotel and her room number to pick her up at but she wasn't expecting him to be actually on time so she took her time putting on her makeup and dressing. About 5 minutes later than he said he'd be there was a knock and Buffy glanced at herself in the full length mirror and then at Lauren who gave her a thumbs up before shooing her to the door. She took a deep breath and opened it to find House in the doorway, leaning on his cane and he smiled when he saw her, his blue eyes twinkling minutely. He was dressed much the same as he had been at the hospital with the only difference being the absence of his biker jacket and that he wore a tie.

He noticed Lauren stretched out on the bed and nodded at her then gestured for Buffy to lead the way to her car. Buffy snatched up her purse and said her goodbyes to Lauren as she left, who winked at her and waved. Buffy led the way to the parking lot and as they walked they chatted about nothing in particular. She noticed him pop a few pills in his mouth but pretended not to as they reached her little Ford Focus and climbed in. Her radio started playing music as they car started up and he raised an eyebrow at her before adjusting the volume and he directed her to a small bar-be-queue that had a wide menu.

Once they were seated and ordered, House watched her with a practical eye and she gave him a small smirk and crossed her eyes, making him crack a smile.

"So here's the deal, you get five questions and five only." She explained and held up her hand to illustrate each rule. "The rules are that I don't have to answer one if I don't want to, in which case you get a freebie question. And I will not answer any question about Chase. I'm not going to talk about him behind his back. If you want to know about Chase then you can ask Chase."

House sulked slightly then grudgingly agreed and Buffy arched a brow and chewed on one of the mozzarella sticks they'd ordered as an appetizer while she waited for the first question. She almost choked when the first words out of his mouth were, "Why'd you burn down your High School gym? Hate P.E. that much?"

Buffy covered the moment by taking a long gulp of her coke before regarding him. "It really wasn't my fault, there were mice. Lots of mice, place was infested." She said using the same excuse she'd given to Principal Flutie so many years ago. When he simply stared at her she added weakly, "mice that were smoking?"

"Oh yes, gotta nip that in the bud." House drawled and she took advantage of the moment to ask a question of her own.

"What happened to your leg?" She asked before realizing it was a rather personal question but he didn't seem to mind.

"The technical term is called Necrotizing Fasciitis, or muscle death. They wanted to amputate but I refused." He answered, one hand rubbing his leg absently. She noticed that he did that whenever he was thinking about something and he asked her another question, "Who was Chase's cousin?"

Buffy shook her head, "I said I wouldn't answer any question about Chase."

"That wasn't about Chase; I asked about his cousin, there's a difference." He argued as the waiter brought their entrees.

Buffy picked up the salt shaker and added a little to her steak and French fries, her eyes downcast at her plate as she replied calmly, "You mean you didn't find that out when you looked me up online?"

House stared at her and covered his shock by denying, "I would never-,"

"Save it, I know you did." Buffy interrupted as she cut her steak and popped a piece into her mouth. "The answer to that is that her name was Cordelia, we went to high school together before she moved to L.A. to be an actress."

House digested that and reached across to grab a fry, but Buffy didn't bother warning him this time, she picked up her fork and jabbed it into his hand with not even a third of her Slayer strength. She could only imagine the look he'd give her if she used all of her strength if the fork went too deep into his hand. He pulled his hand away and yanked out the fork, studying his hand and her with a wounded expression.

"You stabbed me!" He cried indignantly. "I can't believe you just stabbed a cripple!"

Buffy scoffed and rolled her eyes at him, "I'm touchy about my food, gimpy. Try it again and you pull back a bloody stub." She warned casually as she munched on her fries and he huffed before taking a bite of his wings.

"So you'll share with your boyfriend but not me huh?" He grumped.

"I wouldn't share a _cab_ with you and he's not my—." She paused and narrowed her eyes at him as she realized what he'd been trying to do. "Nice try mister!"

House chuckled annoyingly and took a sip of his beer. He mulled over his next question as he ate before asking, "Where did you live before coming here?"

Buffy shrugged, and added some ketchup to her fries, "Well I lived in L.A. for a few years, then Sunnydale-."

"The town that fell into the sinkhole?" House interrupted, and stopped eating for a moment to look at her in surprise. When Buffy nodded he pressed, "How'd that happen? I mean for the whole town to just be wiped off the map?"

Buffy eyed him apprehensively. House was definitely someone she'd have to keep close watch on, if only because he didn't seem to buy the 'sinkhole' excuse. She had little doubts he'd accept the alibi of gangs on PCP either and idly wondered what he'd think if she were to show him a real vampire or a werewolf like Oz. Oh yea, she'd have to be careful around him alright.

"Oh you know bad foundation. Lot of the townspeople evacuated before it happened but my friends and I were on the cleanup crew, making sure that everyone had gone." She lied easily and buttered a roll as she answered.

"Like I was saying," she continued as she ate the roll, "After SunnyD fell, I spent some time in England, then Rome, then came back here."

"Where you met Chase," he finished and she nodded. "Hmm."

"You're processing," she said as she looked at him and he scowled at her.

"I said hmm, not huh. Huh means processing, Hmm means thinking it over." He argued and she giggled.

"Okay, my turn now. Why'd you become a doctor?" She asked as she chewed another piece of her steak.

"People interest me," he answered and she nodded again. "I like the puzzles, finding the answers."

"I get it, like Sherlock Holmes, right?" She asked and he gave her a weird look. "Hey I do know my literature thank you very much." She frowned at him and he smiled slightly at her tone of voice.

House thought for a moment, trying to figure out what question number he was up to and decided to plow ahead in hopes that she wouldn't realize that he'd reached his 5 question limit. She was relaxed and at ease here with him and he found himself enjoying her company almost as much as Wilson's. She was like James, only with boobs.

"What's in Rome?" He asked.

"My sister at the moment, but she's going to come visit soon. She's in college there studying archeology I think. She loves languages and all that old fogey stuff." Buffy replied and stopped to take a sip of her drink. House seized that moment to knock over the plate of rolls and when she bent to pick them up, he attempted to swipe a fry from her plate without getting stabbed again. Quicker than she should have been able to move though, Buffy had grabbed the rolls and swatted his hand away with a scowl but he just laughed and filed that info away for later.

"Curses foiled again!" He said but it was said in jest. She smirked at him and transferred a couple fries to his plate so he'd stop stealing from hers, as if she thought that'd be the end of it. He proved her wrong by snatching the uneaten portion of her roll that hadn't fallen on the floor and stuffed into his mouth with a triumphant grin at her.

"Would you stop that?" She snapped but he kept grinning. The rest of their meal was spent much the same way, with House trying to swipe food from her plate and with Buffy trying to defend it. Once they asked for the check the two left the restaurant, Buffy's arm tucked into the crook of his elbow as she followed him outside to her car.

House walked Buffy to the door of her hotel and she turned to face him, only an inch or so of space stood between them and Buffy was captivated by House's eyes. His jaw was covered with stubble but it gave him a rugged look and there was something sad in the depth of his eyes that called to her. She felt like a magnet being pulled toward him and she wondered if he felt it too. Blinking furiously, Buffy reached for her doorknob and said a quick goodnight before escaping inside, closing the door firmly behind her. She leaned against the door for the safety of her room until she heard the sound of his feet and cane shuffling away, her heart beating wildly. She turned to look at Lauren who was watching her with concern but then grinned at whatever she saw on Buffy's face.

"You are so totally blushing!" Lauren cried and Buffy hushed her, her cheeks flaming. Lauren jumped off the bed and darted over to Buffy, took her arm and pulled her to the bed. Buffy sat on the bed and felt her cheeks, which were indeed red. Lauren, grinning madly, grabbed a pint of ice cream and two spoons then sat beside Buffy and asked endless questions about the date.

House opened the door to his apartment and tossed his keys on the table next to the door and hung his sports jacket in the closet. He loosened his tie and retrieved a beer from his fridge before sitting down in his living room, his leg propped up on the foot stool. He turned his attention to a white board that was a twin of the one at the hospital and studied the words written upon it. He got up again and went over to it, picked up the black marker and added a few more things to the small list of everything he'd discovered so far about one Buffy Anne Summers. He drank the rest of his beer before retiring for the night, the memory of her smiling face and what he'd seen in her eyes at her doorstep still fresh in his mind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The weekend rolled around quicker than Buffy expected and Saturday afternoon she and Lauren piled into her car to go house hunting. Buffy had tried to wheedle Chase into coming along but he'd bowed out when he'd gotten a new patient. They were supposed to meet a realtor at a property Buffy had driven past and as they pulled up they saw a woman dressed in a smart business suit leaning against the hood of a white SUV, looking through some papers.

Lauren hopped out and immediately started to investigate; following the sidewalk around to the back yard which was fenced in. Buffy approached the woman with a smile and they shook hands. The lady's name, Buffy found out, was Mrs. Price and the two walked up the small walkway to the front porch. The porch was wide and had hooks that held up a swing that swayed softly in the breeze. The porch was painted white like the rest of the outside and the windows had light blue shudders. Mrs. Price unlocked the front door and Buffy walked inside, her gaze sweeping around the vacant house.

The floors in the front hallway, the dining room, and the foyer were hardwood, the living room was carpeted and the kitchen was tiled. The walls were painted a neutral tan color and the place had that new smell. Buffy wandered through the rooms critically, only listening with half an ear to Mrs. Price ramble on in her pitch. The windows were relatively new and had latches and blinds, there were smoke detectors in each room, the kitchen was a decent size for just her and Lauren, with a door that led to a basement and another that led outside. Buffy descended the steps to the basement and flicked the light switch, envisioning where she'd hang her heavy bag and various weapons. The room seemed to be big enough to train with and had only 2 windows that let in the light from outside.

Buffy nodded to herself and went back into the kitchen to continue her tour, already half sold on the house. She walked into the dining room and made a mental list of everything she'd need to get. When the Sunnydale house had fallen during the battle with the First, Buffy had managed to salvage some of her mother's most prized furniture, as well as most of her own (and Dawn's) clothes and possessions. While she had a decent amount of furnishings and dishes, she'd need to get a lot more. Buffy made a note to call Giles soon and see how much money would be at her disposal as a senior Slayer. Faith had set up in Cleveland in much the same way and as the two were the most experienced, they received a sizeable sum from the newly reformed Council.

When she reached the foyer again, she headed upstairs to the bedrooms and the bathrooms, picturing where she'd hang the pictures she'd managed to save. There was a bathroom downstairs and one upstairs between the master bedroom and the two guest bedrooms. One would be Buffy's, one would be Lauren's for when she was off campus, and the third for any other guests they would be expecting. Dawn had suggested a desire to come and visit Buffy and meet Cordelia's cousin a few weeks ago and Buffy hoped to persuade Willow, Xander or perhaps even Faith or Giles to visit. The rooms were carpeted as well and Buffy nodded again in satisfaction.

Sold, Buffy went back downstairs and passed a glowing Lauren who was bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. Lauren latched onto her arm and pulled her through the house to the back door, gushing about the yard and talking a mile a minute. Buffy allowed herself to be dragged along with an amused smile at the young girl and let out an appreciative murmur when she stepped onto the back porch.

The back yard was bigger than the front with a water-side view where Buffy saw several canoes and speed boats go by. There were trees spread out through the yard and Buffy whimsically thought about buying a hammock to string between two of the shadier ones. She tuned into Lauren's rushed speech and laughed at the plans she was making that seemed to go along with some of Buffy's own. It was clear to Mrs. Price when the Slayers walked back inside that she had two very satisfied customers.

"We'll take it." Buffy and Lauren said at the same time and Buffy watched Lauren speed inside and out of sight for another look at their new home. Mrs. Price smiled professionally and Buffy followed her into the kitchen to do the necessary paperwork.

Buffy strode through the halls at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital with an easy smile upon her face, her hair bouncing with each step. She had just dropped Lauren off at her dorm to prepare for her classes the next day and had decided to swing by the hospital and see if she could pull Chase or even House away for dinner. She peeked into House's office and almost walked by when she saw the office was dark until she spotted him sitting inside at his desk, staring at something on his wall. She knocked lightly on the door and stepped inside but he didn't turn or otherwise acknowledge her until she was in front of his desk.

House tore his eyes away from the whiteboard in his office and the X-Ray scan and regarded his visitor, his mind still on the newest case. His patient was a nun who'd been brought in by what he'd originally assumed to be an allergy but the case wasn't solved that easily. Buffy toyed with a pen on his desk and when he still didn't say anything she spoke up, "I got a new place, it's really cool."

"Good, then why are you here?" House asked her, still preoccupied and she frowned at him.

"I was hoping I could kidnap Chase for dinner, or I don't know, maybe you?" She asked hesitantly and watched his face closely for a reaction. "There's this grill I want to try and they sound really good."

"Sorry, can't. Patient is in dire need of my expertise." House replied and turned back to his board. Undeterred, Buffy continued to talk about the things she needed to get for the place she'd just bought. She didn't seem to have been discouraged by his refusal, and it was when she was going on about a copper set of pots she'd seen that he felt his brain click. He got to his feet and grabbed his cane, circled his desk and walked out the door without a word to her, not even noticing the disgruntled expression on her face at his abrupt exit.

Buffy watched House walk away and decided to follow him, and then found him in a patient's room with what appeared to be a young nun inside. There were two others in the room with her as well as House's fellows. She heard House explain about the patient's allergy to copper and smiled at the relieved looks on the patient's and doctor's faces. House turned back to the door to see her standing there and shuffled over to her.

"So, dinner for two?" He asked and walked toward the elevator, and Buffy shook her head as she followed again. When the doors closed she eyed him with a bemused expression and he looked at her.

"What?" He asked and Buffy shrugged.

"I figure since I gave you the 'aha' moment I'm entitled to a cookie." She grinned at his laugh and the two walked outside to their vehicles, side by side. Later that night House stopped at a grocery store and handed Buffy a large chocolate chip cookie. Buffy bit into it and gave him a content little grin before reaching for her keys.

When she straightened to fit her key into the hotel's door, House was standing less than an inch away and he touched her cheek, angling her head and gently kissed her on the mouth. The kiss was brief and sweet, she didn't even have time to close her eyes before he was turning away and walking back to his bike. Buffy watched him go with a silly smile, and then went into her apartment to tell Lauren about the dinner they'd had and check out their new place.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"No way."

"Please Buffy?"

"No, not happening." Buffy argued with Lauren, her hands on her hips and shaking her head in refusal.

"But –."

"Lauren, we are not keeping him." Buffy interrupted the young girl and tried not to look at the subject of their argument.

"Oh come on, we just got a place and we'll be moving in by the week's end. You can keep him at your hotel until then." Lauren pleaded with a pout that almost made Buffy reconsider. Almost.

"I can't. Why can't you keep him at your dorm?" Buffy suggested but she knew she was losing this particular fight. Lauren knew it too and tried another tack.

"I have that annoying roommate I told you about, and besides he likes you." Lauren answered with a smile.

Buffy looked down at the meow she heard from the fur ball that was winding himself around her feet. They had rescued the kitten when they'd come upon a nest of vampires who were playing kitten poker and this one was the runt of the litter. Lauren was already attached to the little hellion but Buffy was reluctant to keep the small animal, even if he was cute. And watching her with his huge little kitty eyes.

Buffy groaned and picked the kitten up to look into its small face and the kitten batted at her bangs with a paw and meowed again. Lauren, sensing Buffy's inevitable defeat, grinned at her mentor and hurried away to get her keys so they could go to the store and buy some cat food and the necessary accessories for their new pet.

Buffy tucked the kitten under an arm and carried him over to the bed. She saw one of her purses that looked big enough and slipped the kitten inside. She was not about to leave the kitten there while they were at the store. The only solution would be to bring him along in hopes that no one would notice. Maybe she'd get lucky and Chase or House would know someone who wanted the little guy, and Buffy threw the kitten a glance.

"Don't get used to it mister." She told him sternly and he meowed again. She picked up her purse with the kitten inside and slipped the straps over her shoulder, and the kitten fell into the bag, his furry head sliding down as he adjusted to the sudden movement.

Buffy followed Lauren outside and set the purse with the kitten on Lauren's lap where the younger girl cooed at him and petted him. The kitten started to purr as Buffy drove to the store for cat food and all the things she'd need for the little pest.

The girl's got a few strange looks and a few amused ones when they were checking out by the customers and employees that noticed their stowaway but they managed to get what they needed without incident. Buffy headed to the hospital to visit Chase and House and hopefully persuade one of them to accept the kitten. She doubted House would and she had to admit, the kitten was a cutie but she just didn't do well with pets. It was that whole killed-my-goldfish problem she had that made her reluctant.

Lauren went off to the cafeteria in search of coffee while Buffy (and the kitten) went to House's office. She had talked to House a few times since the kiss but somehow they hadn't brought it up, nor did he attempt to kiss her again. She saw Chase first and went up to him for a hello hug. When she pulled back the kitten made his presence known by batting at Chase's sleeve and Chase blinked at the kitten in surprise then smiled. Buffy lifted the cat out of her purse and handed him to Chase who held the small animal and the kitten meowed at him.

Buffy told Chase the edited version of how she'd attained her new pet and asked if he knew anyone that would accept the meowing runt. Chase thought about it while stroking the cat's fur and House chose that moment to show himself.

"Chase put the pussy away. And I meant the cat, not the girl." He drawled and Buffy rolled her eyes at House's typical greeting. Chase scowled at his boss and handed the kitten back to Buffy when his pager went off. Buffy turned to House who was looking at the cat with an amused expression.

"Make a new friend?" He asked and scratched the kitten behind the ear. The kitten purred contentedly at the attention and licked House's hand.

"Yeah, Lauren and I found him today. I guess he followed us or something. Do you know anyone who wants a kitten?" She pleaded and House chuckled as he continued to pet the cat.

"Can't say I do. If I hear of anyone I'll let you know. Do I get a finder's fee?" He teased and Buffy rolled her eyes again at him.

"Maybe, find someone then we'll talk." She answered and his pager started to beep. House looked at it and frowned, then lightly kissed Buffy's cheek and limped away.

Buffy looked at the kitten when it meowed at her and sighed. "Looks like I'm stuck with you." She commented in defeat and went to find her charge.

She was stopped by the woman she'd seen House call 'Cuddles' the day she'd met him and smiled at the woman. She tried to hide the kitten unsuccessfully when the fur ball gave a muffled yowl of protest that made the lady's gaze dart to Buffy's purse.

"Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Lisa Cuddy, the Dean of Medicine." The lady said and Buffy accepted her offered hand.

"Buffy Summers, I'm a friend of Chase's." She answered and caught Cuddy's glance at the retreating figure of House. "House and I are...I actually don't know what we are." Buffy frowned at that thought and Cuddy gave a small laugh.

"Well as long as it's not law-suit related I'm happy. Although I did want to thank you." She said and Buffy blinked in surprise. The kitten gave another muffled yowl and Buffy adjusted her purse, making the kitten fell to the bottom of her bag again.

"Uh, what for?" Buffy asked curiously and Cuddy smiled.

"I haven't been getting as many complaints and threats about legal action against House lately and I'm guessing you're the reason. So thank you, you're making my job easier." Cuddy laughed at the shocked look on Buffy's face. "He must like you. He's been less surly than usual."

Buffy shifted her gaze in the direction of the empty hall House had disappeared down and tried to kick her brain into gear again. She'd stopped being able to think when Cuddy had revealed this startling insight and it took a few minutes to start functioning. "Thanks, I guess."

Cuddy smiled at Buffy and put a hand on her arm, "House is a good guy, and he doesn't like a lot of people. I'm glad he's made a friend that's not an oncologist." One of the nurses called Cuddy's name and after a last glance at Buffy, she walked away.

Buffy was still staring into the distance by the time Lauren found her and she snapped out of it when Lauren lightly shook her shoulder. She'd figured out that House liked her, he wouldn't have gone to dinner or kissed her if he hadn't she supposed, but she hadn't expected anyone else to have noticed a difference in him. She hadn't even realized there was a change in the doctor until Cuddy had brought it up.

She relayed the conversation to Lauren and the girl started to laugh so hard she clutched her side, making Buffy forget her surprise and frown at her friend.

"You're surprised that the guy likes you?" Lauren crowed, "Come on Buffy, even I saw that from a mile away!"

Buffy stuttered in her reply but Lauren kept going, "She said he doesn't like a lot of people and yet he agreed to go to dinner with you, asked you once, bought you a cookie and kissed you twice. Plus, from what I heard a few of the nurses saying, he's been actually smiling and he never does that."

Buffy blushed and Lauren grinned as she extracted the kitten from Buffy's purse and they walked to Buffy's car. They got in and Buffy drove back to her hotel for the night, stopping only to get a pizza and a movie. Lauren filled Buffy in on all the college and hospital gossip as they ate and the kitten curled up in Buffy's lap, laying his head on her ankle and falling asleep.

When they retired for the night, the kitten curled up next to Buffy's head on her pillow and she grudgingly petted the little runt. She felt the cat's rough tongue as he licked her finger and fell asleep with a smile, thankful that the room was too dark for Lauren to see.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter7**

"How about Chuck?" Lauren proposed.

"Chuck? You want to name our kitten Chuck?" Buffy scoffed as she dodged a swing from a vampire she was fighting. She backhand punched him and turned to check on Lauren who was kicked to the ground by another vampire. The younger girl rolled and got to her feet, dancing away from the snarling vampire as she met her mentor's laughing gaze.

"Ok fine, you come up with something better." Lauren challenged as the vampire she was fighting lunged at her. She dropped into a crouch and used the vampire's momentum against him to flip him over her back onto the ground. Before he could get back to his feet she plunged her stake into the vampire's chest at the same moment Buffy staked hers.

"Hmm how about Ash?" Buffy suggested as the two girls fell into step beside each other, resuming their patrol. Lauren thought it over for a second then shook her head in distaste. "I like Ash, its simple."

"It's boring you mean." Lauren joked and looked around the quiet graveyard for more vampires or demons. They trudged along, side by side, rejecting different names for their new pet. "Hey I got one," Lauren said as a name came to her mind. Buffy didn't hear her though, and Lauren followed Buffy's gaze to a young boy that had just run into the road chasing a basketball. Before Lauren had time to react Buffy ran across the graveyard and into the road, pushing the boy out of the path of an oncoming car and Lauren watched with horror as her friend was struck by the car.

The boy's mother ran out to pull the boy into her arms and Lauren dashed to Buffy's side. She bent down and brushed Buffy's hair from her face and felt her heart racing as her fingers came away bloody. Buffy had hit her head on the pavement when the car had collided and she was unconscious but alive. Lauren looked up to see the mother of the boy beside her, terrified. The driver of the car was standing a few feet away and Lauren yelled for him to call 911.

It seemed to take forever for the ambulances to get there and once they had, Lauren climbed into the back of the vehicle, her hand tightly gripped Buffy's own. When the paramedics asked if she was a family member she lied and told them Buffy was her sister, and they seemed to take that on faith. Lauren told them to take Buffy to Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and that her doctor was a Gregory House, they set to work on putting Buffy on an IV and taking her vitals.

Lauren reached into Buffy's pocket to remove her phone, then scrolled through the contacts for the person she needed to get a hold of. Willow and the gang could wait, she decided. She clicked send and waited impatiently as the phone connected.

"House? It's Lauren, there's been an accident. Meet me at the clinic, Buffy's been hurt." House didn't ask for details, merely hung up and Lauren gave a small relieved sigh that he would take care of her friend. Lauren brushed Buffy's hair back and eyed the monitor, murmuring reassurances to the blond Slayer.

When the ambulance arrived, Lauren hopped out and her anxious eyes met House's professional ones. He wasn't showing any emotion but she could see the strain and the worry as he looked her over. Lauren watched the medics roll Buffy into a room and growled at one who tried to get her to let go of Buffy's hand. House gruffly told the medic to go do something and he walked away, leaving Lauren still clutching Buffy's limp hand.

Finally the medics filed out and only Buffy, House and Lauren were left in her room, the machines beeping steadily. House watched Buffy's monitors and turned to Lauren with his usual brash manner. "What happened?"

"We were taking a walk, and debating what to name the kitten and there was a boy, he was in the road. What was he doing in the road? Where was his mother?" Lauren wasn't aware that she was rambling and House cleared his throat to get her back on track. "I told her I'd thought of one, but then she ran into the road to push the kid out of the way. There was a car coming toward him, I didn't even see it, why didn't I see it? The kid's fine but she got hit instead. God she was bleeding," Lauren looked dazedly down at her fingers that were covered with dried blood. Her hands were shaking and she tried to get her nerves to calm down but she couldn't. Buffy was so still, why was she not moving? Why wasn't she awake yet? She's a Slayer, the oldest living Slayer, why was she still unconscious?

Lauren was brought back to earth by House's rough voice and she mentally gave herself a shake. She looked over at him and he offered her a tight smile. "Does she have a doctor? One she sees regularly?" He repeated his question and Lauren flushed slightly.

"I um, I told them you're her doctor. She doesn't know anyone else and she hates doctors and hospitals. Ever since her mom..." Lauren trailed off as she remembered the sorrow on her friend's face when Joyce Summers was brought up. "Can't you do the doctor thing? I mean she knows you, she won't freak if it's you taking care of her."

House looked back at Buffy and debated the matter in his head. He didn't usually handle normal cases but Buffy was different. He wondered about why she hated doctors and that bit about her mother was interesting. If he was her doctor perhaps he'd be able to solve some of the questions about her that he still hadn't figured out. "I can do it. I'll need to know who her proxy is so I can get her medical records, do you know who that is?"

Lauren worried her lip, wondering if her proxy would be Dawn or Giles or possibly Willow. Maybe she should call Angel, she thought. Seeing her hesitation House nodded once and informed her to page him once she found out and after a fleeting glance at the prone girl upon the hospital bed, he limped out, leaning heavily on his cane. Lauren watched over Buffy for another few moments before reaching for the cell phone again.

It turned out that Angel knew who Buffy's proxy- which happened to be Giles- was and when Lauren told him what happened, Angel promised to be there by sundown the following day. She wasn't sure how that would blow over once Buffy woke but she figured they'd deal with that when it came up, and she dialed Giles' number next. She briefly explained what happened and Giles agreed to fax over Buffy's records for House's use. He also offered to fly out but Lauren persuaded him not to, that she'd call him as soon as Buffy woke. There was no doubt in her mind that Buffy would wake, she was a senior Slayer and her Slayer healing would fix everything. It was just a matter of when

As soon as she disconnected from Giles the phone started to ring, and Lauren saw that it was Faith, and she answered. She went through the whole scenario again with the other Slayer and Faith hung up saying she'd be there in Plainsboro by nightfall. Lauren had heard a lot about Faith in the time she'd become friends with Buffy and she knew arguing would be no use.

Lauren looked around and spotted one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs and pulled it up to Buffy's bed so she could sit. Buffy still had yet to wake or show any signs of consciousness but Lauren refused to believe that she wouldn't wake.

After an hour passed, the silence was starting to get to her and she switched on the TV in the corner of the room and smothered a yawn. She flipped through the channels until she found a movie that Buffy liked and settled into the chair to watch. She heard footsteps and looked at the doorway to see Chase walk inside. He didn't seem to notice her and went directly to Buffy's bed to flip through her chart.

Chase looked at the monitors and checked Buffy's pulse and eye response before noticing the tired girl seated at Buffy's side, their hands tightly clasped. She gave him a tired and very worried smile and he tried to give her a reassuring one but he couldn't quite manage it. She told him what happened and her eyes pleaded with him for confirmation that her friend would be okay and he tried to sooth her frayed nerves. He told her about statistics and that she was doing well and that they were pretty sure she'd make a full recovery but the words sounded hollow. The truth was that Buffy _had_ hit her head and until she woke they couldn't be sure if the impact had caused brain damage. She also had a few cracked ribs from the car hitting her but those would heal considerably well on their own. It was a miracle she was even alive after getting hit by a car that size and at that speed but he wasn't about to admit that to Lauren.

He gently suggested that she go home and rest and offered to call her himself if Buffy woke and Lauren turned dead eyes back to Buffy. He informed her that House had received her medical records and that Buffy had the best doctor in New Jersey keeping an eye on her. He even tried to persuade her by saying that she would be no help if she passed out from exhaustion and that they'd need her help to get a full background the next day. Buffy's medical records were spotty at best because of Sunnydale's hospital being destroyed by the sinkhole that took out the rest of the town and they'd need further history about her health if they were to treat her effectively.

His last argument swayed Lauren to agree and it was when she remembered that not only would Faith be arriving the following day, but Angel was too. She knew she needed to be at her best to deal with the two in Buffy's state and for that she needed to rest. She nodded wearily and stood from the chair that creaked with the weight shift. She squeezed Buffy's hand and placed a kiss upon her brow before whispering she'd be back the next day. She felt Chase's hand on her shoulder as he walked her to the door and the gentle hug he gave her of comfort. Lauren looked at Buffy and then at Chase, an unspoken request in her eyes that he saw and agreed to with a slight smile. She walked out of the hospital and to the door, her arms hugging her small frame as she tried to wash the image of Buffy's body lying lifeless on the road, bathed in the car's headlights.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

House limped into Wilson's office and shut the door behind him, making his friend jump in his seat and regard his visitor with a scowl. That scowl quickly changed into a look of curiosity as House locked the door and shut the blinds before sitting on his couch. Before he sat, House tossed a manila file onto Wilson's desk.

Wilson glanced at the name printed on the tab and raised his eyebrows at House who gestured to the file. "Open it." He said simply and Wilson did. The file was rather thin, stating the patient's blood type and immunizations but he didn't see right off what had caught House's interest enough to lock his door.

"What exactly am I looking for here?" Wilson asked with a critical look and House huffed in impatience.

"You see whose file it is right?" House asked and Wilson nodded.

"Buffy Anne Summers, is she a new patient?" Wilson pressed, still not connecting the name to a face.

"Yes she's a patient. She's also a girl I've gone to dinner with- which is beside the point. What I'm talking about is her medical history." House answered with a hand gesture that told him to look again.

Wilson looked back over the history and his eyebrows rose. "She was a patient at Hemery Memorial Psychiatric Hospital." He squinted at the file then raised startled eyes to House's triumphant ones. "At only 15?"

"It gets better, keep reading." House replied in what could only be called a gleeful way. "She was admitted with hallucinations of vampires, claiming they were the reason she burned down her high school gym." He recited, having already memorized most of the file. "She was released when she recanted the visions. She was admitted for flu two years after she moved to Sunnydale and the doctors noted a peculiar recovery that should have kept her down longer.

"The hospital was having mysterious deaths at the time and when she left, they stopped. A few months later, she was suspect in the murder of a girl named Kendra. She was never tried or proved innocent or guilty yet the charges were dropped." House continued as he popped a few Vicodin into his mouth and dry swallowed them.

"Murder? I don't see that in here." Wilson argued with a slight frown. House made his 'oops' face and Wilson glanced up at him with a sigh.

"You did a background check didn't you? That's how you know about the charges." Wilson accused but he honestly wasn't the least bit surprised.

"Is this the part where I claim it was medically relevant and you shake your head and we go back to the actual case?" House replied and Wilson barely stopped himself from doing that, settling instead on rolling his eyes and looking back at the file.

"Anyway, she was re-enrolled at Sunnydale High except- uh oh- she was arrested for breaking into a weapons shop with another girl. They somehow escaped, typical small town cops, can't do anything right." House went on and Wilson half-tuned him out as he perused the file.

"Then- Deja'vu- she was suspected in the murder of the Dep. Mayor. Although that one was dropped when the girl she did a B & E with confessed. The end of her graduation was explosive, literally." House tapped his cane on the floor as he repeated the facts of her file and in the check he'd done on his newest patient.

"Is there a point to all this other than that your new girlfriend was a delinquent?" drawled Wilson and House shushed him. House leaned forward and flipped a page in the file, and tapped the paper that was facing up.

"Yes there's a point and that this girl is a zombie." House declared and Wilson stared at the paper in front of him, rapidly trying to come up with a reasonable explanation.

"House you don't believe in zombies, you don't even believe in Heaven." Wilson argued distractedly.

"That's beside the point, buddy mine." House waved a hand dismissively. He sat back again and laid his cane across his knees. "Buffy Ann Summers was declared dead in 2001, buried and yet she is _somehow_ fully alive and breathing in one of the patient rooms."

Wilson shook his head and examined the paper that was clearly a death certificate for any inconsistencies. "Maybe it's a forgery? She could have faked her death-," Wilson offered but House scoffed.

"With the same name? That would pretty much ruin the whole point of faking your own death wouldn't it?" He countered and Wilson shrugged, having no better explanation.

"Maybe it's a mistake. Why would they send this to you if you're her doctor?" Wilson asked as he sat back in his chair and steeped his fingers on his desk.

"Clearly they didn't think to check the file or update it." House suggested and scratched his jaw thoughtfully. "What interests me is what happened the year after she was resurrected for lack of better term. She was shot by a burglar and flat-lined on the operating table. Again with an unusual recovery, might I add?" House mused and Wilson fished the report out that spoke of the incident. He skimmed the report and ran a hand through his hair.

"So what are we saying? That she died and was brought back to life by a mystical force and crawled out of her coffin?" Wilson said with doubt laced through his voice. "That's bizarre, even for you."

Wilson frowned as a thought occurred to him and he looked up at House with a curious expression. "Why is she your patient anyway? Is she sick with some unknown disease?" He queried and House rolled his eyes at his friend.

"I can't take non-diagnostic cases? That's not fair." House shot back and he glanced at the closed door. "She was brought in because she was in a collision, a hit and run without the run. She's still unconscious, vitals are stable though."

"Unconscious? Is she going to be okay?" Wilson asked and House gave a distracted nod and another dismissive hand wave. "Wait, let me get this straight. This, Buffy," Wilson glanced down at the file and held it up as House zeroed in on him. "She's the girl you've been having dinner with?" House didn't reply.

"Buffy got hit by a car and you're her doctor?" Wilson went on and House gave an indignant huff. Ignoring that, he continued, "And instead of being at her side you're obsessing over her file and why she's in the hospital to begin with?"

House made a face at him and got to his feet again, leaning on his cane a little heavier than usual. "What kind of person pushes a kid out of the way of a car and doesn't think to get out of the car's path herself?" He argued and Wilson laughed.

"Gee I don't know a good Samaritan maybe? Someone who cares more for a kid's safety than her own?" He suggested and House shook his head to dismiss that idea.

"No such animal." He picked the file up again and put it under his arm as he swiped a mint from the tray on Wilson's desk. "Maybe she was amped up on adrenaline and when it ran dry she got hit." He suggested and Wilson sighed.

"I know it's hard to imagine such a world where people actually do things for pure reasons House, but maybe you should just go see her. She might feel better if she saw you when she woke." Wilson suggested lightly, still a little floored by the fact that House actually seemed to care about this Buffy girl. "She's not one of your usual patients; she's not some puzzle you have to figure out. She's a girl you care about and she's in a hospital bed."

House didn't bother to dispute that and unclipped his pager from his belt to look at it. He unlocked the door and walked out, saying over his shoulder to Wilson, "We'll see about that, she's awake."

The first thing Buffy was aware of was that her head felt huge. She tried to open her eyes and groaned softly when the harsh light assaulted them. She heard hushed voices and tried again to open her eyes to determine who was talking. Her vision was clouded but she blinked to clear the cobwebs from her head.

She focused on a familiar face and tried to smile, and Lauren squeezed her hand tightly, tears of relief in her eyes. Buffy tried to speak but her throat was too dry and Lauren immediately fit a straw into her mouth so she could drink some water. Once she was able to speak again, she was startled to spot another face, one that made her forget what she'd been about to say.

Faith approached Buffy's bed from the other side and sat beside her, a nervous smile on her face as the two Slayers looked at each other. Buffy turned to look at Lauren and the younger girl ducked her head when she realized what Buffy wanted to ask.

"You're at Princeton Plainsboro, and you were out for almost 24 hours. What's the last thing you remember?" Lauren asked Buffy as she glanced at Faith.

Buffy searched her memory and frowned as the answer came to her along with a stab of pain in her head. "There was a kid in the road, a car was about to hit him. I tried to push him out of the way and then I don't know. Pain and bright lights and now you guys." Buffy said after wincing at the lights. Faith got up from the bed and flicked the light switch and Buffy tried to sit up.

Lauren pressed the call button as Faith went to Buffy's side again to help her maneuver into a more comfortable sitting position. Buffy looked at Faith with a little confusion, "Faith? When did you get here?"

Faith adjusted Buffy's pillow and stuffed her hands into her tight jean pockets awkwardly. The two had come a lot farther since the battle with the First but she still felt a little weird showing emotion around her sister Slayer. "I got in a few hours ago." She said simply and Buffy gave her a lingering look that said she knew there was more to it but was willing to let it lie until they were alone.

Faith gave Buffy a sunny smile and lounged back on the foot of the bed, her legs crossed as she picked up the TV remote and flipped through the channels. Lauren kept sneaking glances at Buffy as if she was afraid that she would pass out again and Buffy squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"So when's tall dark and brooding showing up?" Faith asked Lauren casually and Buffy's eyes widened as Lauren blanched.

"Tell me she doesn't mean who I think she means?" Buffy pleaded but her question was answered as the door to her room was pulled open and Angel strode in. He ignored both Faith and Lauren and zeroed in on Buffy, going immediately to her side and grasping her other hand. He leaned forward to press a kiss to Buffy's forehead and looked at the machines anxiously.

"You're awake, how are you feeling?" Angel asked and Buffy let out the breath she'd been holding since he came in the room. "How long has she been awake? Where are her doctors?" He glowered as he looked at Faith and Lauren.

Faith raised her hands defensively and said, "Hey don't blame me, I didn't do anything." She jerked her head at Buffy. "She just woke up Ang, chill out."

They were again interrupted by the door opening and Buffy looked past her guests to see House and Chase enter. Chase went over to her and Faith watched as he re-checked Buffy's vitals and eye response until he nodded in satisfaction.

"As much as this display of family support is very touching, I'm going to have to kick all of you out." House said to the occupants then looked at Buffy and gave her a wink. "Except you sweet cheeks, you're staying."

"House..." Buffy started but House cleared his throat and Buffy shrugged helplessly at Lauren and Faith. Angel glared at House and the two seemed to stare each other down before House gave Angel a half-mocking grin.

"Neat trick," House drawled and Angel bristled slightly. "I've been in here for about—" House glanced at his watch, "5 minutes and you haven't breathed once. Mind showing me how you do that?" House asked congenially and Buffy snickered to cover a laugh.

Lauren stood from her chair and told Buffy she'd be back later and Faith followed her out the door, placing a hand on Angel's shoulder and leading him out too. Faith tossed Buffy a wink over her shoulder and mouthed 'he's cute' and nodded at Chase before sauntering out the door.

House and Buffy studied each other before House ordered Chase to go secure an MRI for Buffy and he left to do so. House walked closer to Buffy and hung his cane on her IV stand while he checked her pulse and her head himself, before asking calmly, "Friends of yours?"

"Yeah, they are." Buffy answered simply and House nodded.

"How are you alive?" He asked flatly and Buffy looked at him with confusion. House leaned his hands against the arm rail to inspect her for any other injuries. The ones she'd been brought in with looked days old instead of the fresh ones he remembered and his brows knitted together at this new puzzle. "Lift up your shirt."

"What do you mean how am I alive? I didn't think it was that bad." Buffy said as she complied and House gingerly felt her ribs.

"Does that hurt?" He asked and she hissed out a breath but otherwise showed no sign of pain. He reached for her chart to see if she was on any narcotics and told her vaguely that she could put her shirt down now.

"What is it?" Buffy asked him as she sat back against her pillow and he held her chart out for her to see. She blinked at it in incomprehension before looking at him. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"What doesn't seem to be there? Which is what medicine you're on to dull the pain you should be feeling?" He answered and Buffy schooled her features into a blank look, as he continued, "and the tox screen which is negative of any drugs."

"I don't take drugs." Buffy said and House eyed her skeptically. "Why would you think I take drugs?"

"You expect me to believe that you just ran into the road to save a kid and didn't think that the car would hit you?" He countered and Buffy opened her mouth to answer. "Or why you and Lauren were picked up by an ambulance next to a graveyard?"

House leaned close and stage- whispered, "You were hunting vampires and demons weren't you? You and Lauren?"

Buffy almost paled until she saw the teasing glint in House's eye and decided to have a tiny bit of fun. "You found me out, I've been hunting vampires and demons since I was a freshman. I'm teaching Lauren how to follow my footsteps. We felt like a spot of killing before bed, can't get anything past you." Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she inwardly chuckled at how true that really was. If he only knew/i

Aware that she was being sarcastic he hooked a hand around the chair and sat to look at her more closely. "Then why do you have a death certificate in your medical file?" He countered and watched her face for a reaction.

"Clerical error," Buffy denied with a straight face. "They meant to send a birth certificate and sent the wrong one." She shrugged to show him that she wasn't rattled that he'd dug up that bit of info on her.

"You're my doctor?" She redirected and House gave a dismissive nod before posing another question.

"Why were you in a mental hospital when you were 15?"

Buffy broke House's gaze when two people entered the room and House let out an impatient sigh. "I'm with a patient here, children."

"House we have another case, Cuddy wanted to let you know." One of the two, a male said and she gave Buffy a polite smile. House turned back to Buffy and rolled his eyes before standing back up and grabbing his cane.

"Of course, Daddy's right. Gossip can wait; the patient is in dire need of my help." He drawled and patted Buffy's arm before he walked back to the door, his fellows falling into step beside him as he disappeared down the hall.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Faith found House in his office a few hours later and she waltzed in confidently, letting the door shut behind her. House glanced up from his computer screen and then back to what he was looking at and she sat in his chair, propping her boots up on his desk casually.

"Where are the ducklings?" She asked when she didn't see the three doctors that had been shadowing B's doc.

"Off killing a patient I expect," House replied and she snickered. "Don't worry; I'm assured they're very competent doctors. At least I hope so." He winced and she laughed. "You're here in my office why exactly?" He asked and she raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Nothing better to do and B's getting some kind of test done I think." Faith answered and reached for his Magic 8 Ball. She thought for a second and shook it as he went back to whatever he was looking at on his computer.

"If you're here to ask something than you should probably go next door. Wilson just loves doing the Q and A thing." He gave her an exaggerated wink and she rolled her eyes.

"Aw gee am I intruding on your 'me' time?" She drawled and he cracked a small smile.

House turned to regard the brunette with her feet on his desk and tapped them with his cane. She obediently removed her feet from his desk and met him stare for stare. "What's your interest in B?" She asked forwardly and he watched her closely.

"It's strictly professional I promise," he answered and raised his crossed fingers. She snickered but gave him a hard look. "Which friend are you?" He asked and she adjusted her jacket.

"Which do you want me to be?" she purred and he smiled. He wasn't the least bit into her, she knew, but some habits were hard to break. Besides, if he was really into B like she thought, then he wouldn't take the bait anyway. And if she worked him a bit, maybe she'd be able to determine exactly how much the guy knew about her sister Slayer.

"I'm going to guess that you're the ex-con." He stated after appraising her and noting the tough girl attitude she exuded like perfume. She touched her fingertip to her nose to indicate he was correct.

"Somebody did their homework I see. What else have you learned about B?" She asked casually.

House grabbed his rubber ball and leaned back in his chair as he considered the girl in front of him, wondering how much she could tell him about the blond. "She seems to heal surprisingly fast, the injuries she sustained from the car hitting her should have knocked her out longer than a day. She woke fully conscious, despite her head hitting the pavement. She seems to like cemeteries and is pretty quick to change the subject if the conversation is personal.

"She's been admitted for various reasons in the past but the one that I'm still trying to figure out is when she was declared dead." House went on while he watched Faith absorb the information with an impassive expression.

"That all?" She asked, neither admitting nor denying anything.

"She packs quite a punch for such a small thing," he admitted as he thought of the day he'd first met her. Faith broke out into a cat-ate-the-canary grin.

"She slugged you one huh?" She said and he cleared his throat.

"She caught me by surprise." He supplied and she laughed outright. "She has a high threshold for pain and an abnormally fast metabolism." He finished and she nodded.

"So you got nothing?" She commented flatly and he threw the ball at her and she caught it an inch from her face. "What about in her background check?" She asked as she tossed it back and he looked at her in shock. How had she known he'd—

"We have sources, B and I. She doesn't know you dug that deep but she ain't gonna be happy when she finds out." Faith told him calmly and raised her eyebrows as she waited for an answer to her question. He knew something about her criminal history and about B dying but she needed to access how much of a risk the nosy diagnostician was before she spoke to the G-man.

"Just your run of the mill delinquent type stuff. Blew up a few schools, accused for murder, got shot and made a miraculous recovery." He answered easily as he tossed the ball up in the air and caught it in the same hand.

"So your interest in her is basically that she's what? A puzzle you can't solve?" Faith summed up and House glanced at her.

"She's a contradiction." He admitted and she nodded slowly.

"Lot of people are contradictions, you're a doc, I'm sure you've met a few." She said and he inclined his head. "So that tells me there's some other reason why you're particularly invested in her." Faith pressed and leveled him with a challenging look.

"Every one's a shrink." He dodged and she smiled. When he tossed the ball up again she stood and quickly intercepted it. She leaned close to him with the ball in her hand and he watched her with interest. She knew he'd picked up on her speed and had linked it to B's and she smiled with grim satisfaction when he gave her a curious look.

"I bet you're intimidating to a lot of people, H." She said slowly and he started to smile. "But let me tell you something, me and B, we're two of a kind. We're the things that nightmares have nightmares about. You, you're just a grumpy old bear." Faith leaned back and started to walk back to the door, bored already.

She turned and threw him the ball again and saw the way he was looking at her. It wasn't predatory like she was used to, this was something else entirely. He was looking at her like he'd watched B earlier, like she was a mystery he was trying to solve. "I like you, so I'll say this once. Don't screw her over, 'cause I'd hate to have to maim ya." She said and gave him a wink before walking out. "Later H." She called as she walked down the hall to Buffy's room.

House watched her go with a smile as he realized he'd just learned something else about his blond patient.

Faith walked into Buffy's room to see her friend flipping through TV channels with an irritated look. She glanced up at the TV as she took the empty chair next to the bed, pleased with how her encounter with the doc had gone. She'd discovered that not only was he curious about Buffy in a professional way but he definitely had the hots for her. She wondered when the two would get over the bantering and get busy with each other but knew better than to suggest the idea to the blond.

"Where've you been?" Buffy asked as she gave up in her quest for something to watch and settled on some comedy.

"Getting to know your doc up close and personal-like." Faith quipped just to gauge B's reaction. She fought the grin when she saw the flash of possessiveness in the other Slayer's eyes that she quickly masked. "I was curious what he's found out about you so I can tell G not to worry." She said and Buffy let out a breath.

"Giles? Why's he worried about House?" Buffy asked.

"The dude worries about everything, you know that." Faith replied and Buffy laughed.

The two lapsed into silence as they watched the comedy, until Faith caught Buffy's glance at her. She raised an eyebrow at her and Buffy said, "Faith why are you really here? Lauren said you called her when I got hit."

Faith shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I had a dream. I don't know if it was a Slayer one or what, but I knew something was going to happen and that you needed me." She shrugged and Buffy watched her for a long minute before patting her arm once.

Aware that a thank you would only make Faith uncomfortable, she said nothing and they went back to the movie in companionable silence until Chase came to take her for her MRI.

Angel stalked down the hallways searching for the doctor that had kicked him out of Buffy's room earlier. The man had Buffy's scent on him but that wasn't what rattled him. The way Buffy hadn't argued with the guy was. There was clearly something between them and he wanted to know what.

He found the room with the guy in it and pushed open the door, once again ignoring the occupants and focusing on the subject of his ire. "Gregory House?" He growled.

House looked at the guy and pointed to Chase, "That's him."

Chase gave his boss a look and turned to the guy. "Did you need something mister..."

"Angel." He said simply, glancing at the guy. He did a double take when he felt a niggling feeling of familiarity in the young doctor.

"Angel? As in the head Private Investigator of Angel Investigations?" Chase clarified, forgetting his boss and the other two doctors to look Angel over more closely.

"Do I know you?" Angel asked with a frown.

"No, you knew my cousin. You worked with her actually. Cordelia?" He said and watched the emotions flit across his face at the name.

"Your cousin." Angel repeated and Chase nodded. He saw the other doctors look at each other and House watched the two of them curiously. Angel turned back to House, momentarily forgetting Cordelia's cousin and pushing aside the painful reminder.

"What is your connection to Buffy?" He said clearly and the others all made vague excuses and left the room. House met Angel's gaze and they sized each other up in silence.

"She's my patient." House answered, opting not to admit that they had a somewhat personal relationship as well. "What's yours?"

"She's my—that's not important." Angel stammered and House sipped his coffee as he looked over the man with a new glint in his eye. Unless he was mistaken, Angel was Buffy's ex. He wondered how recently and what had caused the breakup. He also noticed that Angel seemed to make a concentrated effort to breathe at uneven intervals as if it was all for show.

"What is important then?" House asked calmly.

"Buffy's awake and she's fine right?" Angel demanded and House inclined his head, still studying the man glaring at him with interest. Angel wasn't satisfied with that answer, "What do the tests say? Did you do an MRE or whatever the scans are called?"

House smirked at him, unaffected by Angel's menacing tone. "Its MRI," he corrected. "And she's due for one about..." House glanced at his watch and set his cup down. "Now."

House limped past Angel and to the door, "Excuse me won't you, have to go make sure my minions don't kill the patient." He walked out into the hallway and Angel followed him to the elevator, and climbed in when it arrived. "Are you going to stalk me now? I don't swing that way, sorry." He smirked when Angel gave him a scowl and he got off on the second floor.

He stopped Angel from following by sticking out his cane and tripping him. "Oops, only doctors allowed on this floor. Guess you have to wait here." House walked away leaving a grumbling Angel behind and entered Buffy's exam room.

"The adult has arrived, kids, let's begin shall we?" He announced as he went into the observation room. The machine whirred to life as he jerked his thumb at Chase and sat at behind the panel. He leaned forward and watched the scan.

"Where've you been?" Cameron asked House and Chase glanced at his boss.

"Had to take a leak, next time I'll videotape it." House answered and he glanced at the camera to see Buffy hide a smile. "I ran into her ex it seems. Fellow's enamored with me, had to let him down easy."

Buffy looked directly into the camera at that as if she heard and knew he was watching her. He dismissed that thought to go back to her scan.

"Head's clean, no damage." Foreman stated but House ignored him, looking again at the camera. Her scan should have showed some sign or impact if not an injury yet there was nothing. When he'd walked in he'd noticed that her bruises were nearly absent. Strange.

"Interesting." He mused and Chase rolled his eyes as Foreman and Cameron exchanged a look.

"What's interesting?" Buffy asked and the doctors stared at the speaker her voice had come from. House looked at his equally mystified fellows.

"Did one of you—?" He began but Chase shook his head.

"That speaker's been off since we came in." He leaned forward and pressed the button to show House that the speaker was indeed off. The doctors all looked at Buffy as the table descended and she sat up to look at them.

"How did she hear us?" Cameron said what they were all thinking.

When Buffy was brought back into her room Lauren was waiting but she didn't see Faith. House had disappeared after a brief comment to his fellows and they'd rolled her back to her room while exchanging looks with each other. None of them knew how to ask exactly how it was she'd heard them so they didn't.

Lauren smiled and gave Buffy a warm hug and Buffy returned it. When she heard a muffled meow she recognized she looked at Lauren's tote bag to see a familiar head pop out. "Lauren, what's he doing here? Animals aren't allowed at hospitals, you know that." Buffy lectured as Lauren placed the kitten on Buffy's lap and went to close the blinds.

"He missed you, didn't you Lestat." Lauren cooed at the kitten as she scratched his ear. The kitten in question started to purr and knead Buffy's blanket. Buffy looked at Lauren with a laugh.

"Lestat?" She repeated as she stroked his fur.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you the other night before you got hit. His name can be Lestat." Lauren shrugged. "Slayer humor."

Buffy thought about it and looked down at Lestat, who was curled into a gray ball, blinking up at her with crystal blue eyes. "Lestat it is then." She decided and they chatted quietly about college and such, petting the content cat.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

House limped into Buffy's room that night before he left for home and she was in a heated argument with Angel. House observed the two for a few minutes but for once didn't consider intruding. Maybe it was the way she looked when she was incensed that made her all the more appealing to him, or maybe it was the subject of her ire that he found completely captivating. Whatever had gone down between them had happened at least a few years ago and she spoke of trust and 'belly of the beast' and about law firms.

House wondered what the connection was between his fellow and this Angel guy was and what it was about the man that gave him a weird feeling. As if Angel wasn't all together human. This was as ridiculous a notion as Buffy crawling out of her grave and fighting vampires. House relied solely on truth; he prided himself on being able to find it.

As their argument began to escalate he made his presence known by clearing his throat and walking up to the bed. Angel glowered at him and Buffy turned from her heated glare at him to smile warmly, if a little uncertainly, at House.

"And how is my favorite patient today?" House asked in a pleasant tone that was not like him at all. If she noticed she made no sign of it. He checked her injuries or at least where the injuries had been, but if he hadn't known they were there he'd have sworn she never had them. A glance at her chart negated the possibility of drugs again.

"Great, wonderful, awesome. Can I go home soon?" Buffy asked as he helped her lean forward to adjust her pillow. Angel watched House like a hawk as the doctor smiled at Buffy and the two seemed to settle into a comfortable banter. House watched Buffy, totally dismissing Angel as if he wasn't there at all.

"I'm thinking tomorrow if you can wait that long. Or do I have to get the nurses to make sure you don't crawl out your window?" House joked, as he sat in the empty chair beside the bed. He was in a better mood than he'd been in a while. His leg was hurting but something about Buffy's nearness made him reluctant to pop Vicodin like he usually did.

"I really wouldn't suggest it- the trees here are a lot harder to climb than the ones outside your old house in Sunnydale." He commented dryly and she chuckled in reply. He was testing her for a response but he knew he wasn't going to get one. "The fact that you didn't give an excuse means you've done that a lot." House deduced and Buffy gave a half shrug, allowing him to make his own assumptions.

This was the game they played, he would try to dig into her past and she'd offer half truths with a sarcastic tone or she'd neither admit nor deny. The familiarity of it left them both at ease, and House found he enjoyed their verbal sparring.

House looked at Angel and gave him a fake apologetic look, "I'm sorry but my patient needs her rest." House continued to sit in his chair, showing he had no intentions on leaving the room, even though he was kicking her ex out.

Buffy looked between the two, almost expecting Angel to go into game face and attack the arrogant doctor. Angel frowned and leaned forward to kiss Buffy's forehead in an attempt to annoy House but Buffy sat stiffly, still a little mad at him. "I'll be back tomorrow." Angel muttered but before she had a chance to reply, House spoke up again.

"She's going to be busy getting all discharged, so I'm afraid there's not much point to you visiting, unless you want to be here bright spanking early." House commented perkily and Buffy and Angel shared a look.

"He's right, I'm fine. You should get back to L.A." Buffy told Angel in a calm voice that- she hoped- told Angel not to argue and to just go. Without answering or looking at either of them he swept out and House watched him go with a mocking smile.

"Damn, I forgot to find out how he holds his breath for so long. I'll have to find another way to brave the men's room after Foreman." House said and Buffy giggled.

"Did you have to antagonize him?" Buffy asked but to be honest, it had been pretty amusing. She and Angel had been arguing about the whole Wolfram and Hart thing again and she was relieved that House had interrupted. It was almost like he sensed she needed a break and had done something nice for her. Although she knew him well enough by now to know that he'd flat out deny he was capable of such a thing.

"What person who is nothing like me are you asking that question?" House answered with an 'Are you kidding?' Look that made her giggle again. House leaned back and laid his cane on his knees, then started studying her again.

"What?" She asked as she smoothed her hair self-consciously.

"I'm trying to figure out how to tap that." He said and then covered his mouth with his hand as if he was shocked. "Oops was that too blunt? My bad."

Buffy laughed at him and tossed an empty soda can at him that he easily dodged. "You're horrible, you know that?" She teased but she really didn't mean it. House could be a jerk at times but he also made her laugh with his blatant honesty.

"Sadly yes, it's been said." House mourned and she smiled at him then rolled her eyes. Her gaze flicked to the clock on the wall and she saw that it was almost 8pm. She looked back at him and he started to twiddle his thumbs complacently.

"Aren't you anxious to get home?" She asked and he looked over his shoulder at the clock then back at her with a shrug.

"I'll get there sooner or later; Spunky won't care if I'm not there by curfew." He confided with an exaggerated wink.

"Spunky? Who's that, your pet mold?" She scoffed and he made a face at her.

"Don't talk bad about Spunky, he's very sensitive."

Buffy snickered.

"Seriously, how come you're here so late? New patient?" She asked and he nodded and told her about the one who'd been brought in the same day she had. She listened as he explained the various tests and procedures they'd ruled out and the sound of his voice was soothing to her ears, melting away some of the tension she'd felt fighting with Angel. She didn't understand half the terms or diseases he was telling her about but the fact that he was there with her instead of home where he should have been was unbelievably sweet.

"Where are your shadows?" House asked finally and she laughed at the reference to her friends.

"Faith went to get a hotel room for the night; she's headed back to Cleveland in the morning after Lauren picks me up. Lauren I think is at my hotel packing and keeping Lestat company." She answered and his brows rose at the kitten's name.

"Lestat?" He repeated and she smiled. "Interesting name." He said simply.

"See, you always say that when something I say makes you curious." She commented and he tilted his head to one side to consider her.

"Like in the MRI lab?" He prompted and she gave him nothing to use against her in her reaction. "How did you hear us talking anyway without the speaker on?" He pressed and she shrugged.

"The door was open and the walls of that big honking thing are hardly sound-proof." She supplied, used to his questions and her excuses. She also knew he wouldn't buy a word of it but would just put it aside to think about later.

She was correct when he started talking about something else, dropping the MRI subject. She'd forgotten about her Slayer hearing earlier in her anxiety to know if everything was okay with her brain. She sometimes had nightmares that she'd find out she too had a brain tumor like her mother, or that Dawnie would develop one and that fear had made her throw caution to the wind. She needed to be more careful, she scolded herself, House asked idle questions now, but he'd never stop trying to solve the mystery that was her.

The time they talked seemed to fly by as one hour became two, then three. They paid no attention to the doctors or nurses walking past, not even when some of them stopped to observe the oddity that was Dr. House talking and laughing with a patient. None of them had ever seen the like. Everyone at the hospital was fully aware that Dr. Wilson was the only one House seemed to tolerate for an extended period of time, yet there he was, conversing with a patient willingly. It was simply unheard of.

The next morning House limped into the office and his fellows jumped when the door shut behind him. He smirked at them and went to go make coffee, then looked at each one to see they were all giving each other furtive glances.

"Someone want to tell me about out latest patient? Before they die that is." House prompted and Cameron updated him on the patient's status. House mulled over that information and Chase chose that moment to speak up.

"The nurses are all saying you spent time with Buffy last night?" He asked and House sipped his coffee, adopting Buffy's habit or neither confirming or denying.

"By all means, let's take this time to gossip instead of curing our sick patient." House deflected but Chase and Foreman shared a look. Cameron ignored them both and went on with possible diagnoses. "Why aren't you sharing in the gossip?" House asked her and she rolled her eyes.

"Maybe because I care more about the actual dying patient as opposed to the one who's perfectly fine?" She scoffed and House looked at her for another moment before nodding to himself.

"Then you won't mind taking a blood test to confirm African trypanosomiasis." He told her and she got up from her chair, Chase and Foreman moved to follow but he raised his voice over the sound of their chairs being pushed out to address them. "Foreman and Chase are going to Mrs. Summer's hotel room to make certain that there's no sign of drugs that accelerate recovery time."

Chase and Foreman looked at each other and Chase glared at his boss. "I'm not going to break into her room just so you can snoop into your girlfriend's things." He argued.

"Fine, then go do the test. Cameron, you don't mind scoping out a girl's room right?" He limped out again without waiting for another argument. Chase glared at House's retreating back and followed him out into the hall.

"That's not right. You can't use us to further your twisted little game of 'what's Buffy hiding?'" Chase protested vehemently. House looked over his shoulder at him and stopped walking, facing Chase squarely in the empty hall.

"You're wrong, I can do that on account of I'm your boss. If you don't like it," House shrugged, "quit." He knew Chase wouldn't quit, the Aussie was moral to a fault at times but he wouldn't sacrifice his job just to stick it to his boss.

"You're telling me that if I don't break into her hotel I'm fired?" Chase asked and House rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Of course not, that'd be unethical." House again started to walk away and Chase stared after him, deciding not to follow. House wasn't really expecting them to find anything and since she was being discharged, this was the only time he'd be able to find something remotely useful in his quest for answers. He just hoped Lauren wasn't there.

Cameron sighed as she and Foreman opened the door to Buffy's hotel room, glancing around to make sure no one saw. The manager had given them an extra key after asking 30 million questions it seemed like and Cameron really wanted to be anywhere but there.

Cameron glanced around the room and pulled on a pair of gloves, but the room was pretty simple. There was a duffel on the bed, a food bowl in the corner, a small litter box and they noticed the owner of the litter box watching them from beneath the bed. Foreman walked to her dresser and pulled open the drawers while Cameron bent to pet the small gray kitten. The kitten sniffed her hand then dismissed her and Cameron peeked under the bed while she was crouched.

"God this is so typical," She grumped to Foreman. "House has a new puzzle to solve and we get roped into rooting through her things."

"She did recover quicker than I've ever seen; drugs would be a reasonable explanation." Foreman placated and Cameron threw him a doubtful look. "I'll check the bathroom."

"No drug I've ever heard of would make those bruises disappear in only 2 days, and besides, wouldn't they have shown up on the tests?" Cameron argued as she rifled through her clothes. There was a small chest at the foot of the bed but when she tried to open it, the lid wouldn't budge.

"Wow color me impressed by the maid service. I've gotta remember to leave a tip," drawled a voice from the door and Cameron turned her startled gaze to the girl who'd been in Buffy's room the day before, Faith.

Faith leaned casually against the door jamb, having spotted and heard the pair long before they entered the room. She's managed to secure a room next door to Buffy's and she'd been in the process of packing herself when she'd heard the voices next door. She'd reached for a knife but relaxed when she recognized House's fellows. The blonde looked guilty at being caught snooping and the guy came back out of the bathroom with both hands up to show he meant no harm. She didn't let her guard down the slightest bit, but she didn't shift into a fighting stance either. They better have a damned good reason for breaking into her friend's room, one she'd be sure to get, but otherwise they weren't a threat.

"Faith right?" The guy asked and she gave him a stern look but didn't reply. "My name's Eric Foreman and this is my associate Allison Cameron. We work for Dr. House." He offered and she rolled her eyes impatiently.

"Yeah I got that part; skip ahead to exactly why you're breaking into my girl B's room." Faith said coolly and they stepped toward her. Faith watched the woman- Cameron- as she came closer to her and away from Buffy's weapon's chest. Unless she was mistaken, Red had probably spelled the case for such an event. Hmm maybe she'd have to ask for one of those herself.

"House told us to check her hotel room for anything that'd accelerate her recovery," Cameron explained, opting for the truth. Faith broke into a smile and laughed, nodding her head in amusement.

"That tracks, and did you find anything?" She asked, fully aware that they couldn't have because nothing existed. The healing thing came with the Slayer package, a secret she wasn't about to let them in on.

"Actually, we were just discussing that there isn't really a drug that could have made her injuries disappear the way they had. Nothing that wouldn't have shown up in one of our tests anyway." Foreman told her and Faith cocked her head to one side. On the one hand she was pleased they hadn't found squat, but on the other she was a little disappointed. She didn't know why but she was.

"Wicked, now what say you get out of her room?" She said flippantly, jerking her thumb at them and they filed out of the room. Faith glanced around the room once to assure her that nothing was out of place and smiled at the small furry head of Lestat. She'd spent a half hour in the room talking and bonding with Lauren the night before and had grown fond of both the girl and the cat. She'd told herself she was simply bored, that it had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that she worried about her sister Slayer. That she wanted to be sure that her friend was in good hands and doing well on her own in New Jersey, away from the Scoobies and her Watcher. That had nothing to do with it at all, really.

Faith watched them climb back into their car and Cameron nodded a goodbye to her but she maintained her steely expression until their car had gone out of sight. Looks like she had to make a stop before heading back to Cleveland.

Buffy smiled at Faith and at Lauren when they came to pick her up in the hospital's lobby. She'd just been discharged and Lauren had brought some of her own clothing for her to change into. House had made a vague comment about seeing her later and Chase had wheeled her to the elevator and down stairs in one of the hospital's wheel chairs. Chase set the brakes on the chair and helped Buffy get to her feet just as House reappeared, limping on his cane as quickly as he could to get away for Cuddy. The group watched the two bicker as they approached.

"What about me speeding away from you says 'let's chat'?" House drawled to her and Cuddy's heels clacked after him as she pursued him.

"You can't speed away anyway." She shot back.

"Now that's just mean." He returned and as he reached Buffy, he moved behind her, using her as a shield from his boss. "Hide me; mommy wants to make me do actual work." He gave Buffy a pained look and peeked out from Buffy's shoulder. The whole scene looked rather comical as she was much shorter than he was.

"Why would she want to hide you after you told your minions to break into her hotel room?" Faith spoke up and House turned to look at her.

"Tattletale," he said starkly but she just gave him a smirk and House turned back to the infuriated blonde.

Buffy turned and glared at House, her fists balled on her hips and her eyes sparkling with anger. "You did what?" She said slowly and House darted behind Lauren for protection, sensing he was about to be hit again. Lauren giggled and Faith looped an arm through Buffy's to calm her friend down before she really blew her already tentative cover by killing the doctor.

Buffy turned to glare instead at Chase, "Did you know about this?" She demanded and he blanched. Chase glanced at House who mouthed 'yes' behind Buffy's back but she ignored him to focus on the Aussie.

"He told me to go and search your place but I said no. I swear I was going to tell you." He replied bleakly and she spun to scowl at House.

"You and I are going to have some words mister." She threatened but allowed Faith to lead her outside, Lauren in tow, still giggling.

House watched the girls go and looked at Chase, stating with finality, "I'm a dead man." Chase nodded simply and they both winced when Cuddy started in.

"You did what?" She sputtered and House heaved a sigh.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Glancing around her bare hotel the next day, Buffy crossed her arms over her chest happily. She and Lauren were moving into the new place today and Faith had decided to take off tomorrow. She claimed it had more to do with the weather being crappy than an actual desire to spend some time with friends and Buffy let Faith believe that she bought it. She was glad Faith hadn't left yet, it felt nice to be around someone familiar who didn't look up to her as a mentor. Lauren was great, she and Buffy were getting very close but Buffy missed the camaraderie she'd shared with Willow and Xander at now Faith. She even missed Spike, not that she'd tell him so or jettison off to L.A. to see him of course.

Lauren bounded in with Faith right behind her, having just finished loading the last of Buffy and her own things into Buffy's car. Faith would be following them on her bike to check out the new place and to help unpack and would likely be gone by the time the other two woke the next morning.

"That all of it?" Lauren asked as she looked around for any leftover scraps of clothing or something that didn't belong to the hotel. Lestat was in his kitty carrier in Buffy's front seat, waiting for his owners to get in and probably crying. Lauren had tossed a towel over the carrier to block out the sun so he didn't get over heated and she'd only just put him in so he was fine.

"Yeah, I think so." Buffy answered, nodding an affirmative and taking the hotel room door key off her keychain so she could return it. They walked back to their vehicles, Lauren sliding into the passenger's seat and settling Lestat on her lap while Faith donned her bike helmet and climbed onto her Harley.

As Buffy was walking to her car when another car came up, and she turned to see House walking toward her, his cane in hand. She caught Faith's sidelong glance and gave her an imperceptible nod saying she was alright and Faith waved at Lauren to come with her. Lauren re-covered Lestat and climbed on the back of Faith's bike, her arms wrapped tight around the other girl.

"We'll be back in a sec!" Faith called to Buffy over the rumble of her bike and Buffy turned to face House, leaning her back against the car. She watched him as he studied the ground, waiting for him to say something.

"Moving then?" House stated finally and Buffy cocked her head to one side. She looked at Lestat and opened the door to turn on the A.C. and the radio. Lestat seemed to like the sound of music, and it bought her some time to get her head on straight.

"Yep, all packed and ready to go." Buffy replied and he tapped the wheel of her car with his cane. "That thing you did, the invading of my privacy? Very not cool." She said and House scratched an itch on his elbow.

"I know. I'm, uh, sorry." He muttered and if she hadn't been blessed with Slayer hearing she might not have heard it.

"And the background check?" Buffy went on and he turned surprised eyes to hers. "Faith told me. Really House?" she admonished and he shrugged.

"How else am I supposed to get to know you?" He defended weakly. "Not you know, like an interested party but as a casual kind of observer."

Buffy fought to keep a straight face but she had to admit he was right. She wondered how he'd handle the Big Secret, although it wasn't so much a secret, never really had been in her case. He wasn't ready to know now in any case.

"Why can't you just trust that I'll tell you when I'm ready? And just be my casual kind of friend that takes me to dinner and makes me laugh?" She asked and his lips twitched in a smile.

"I might be able to do that. Damn there goes my plan for corrupting your roommate." He cracked and Buffy laughed. He stepped closer to her so they were almost nose to nose and her hair brushed across his stubbly chin with each breath he took as they stared into each other's eyes.

Buffy's gaze flicked from his murky blue eyes to his mouth and she sucked in a breath when he leaned closer. His kiss was just as brief as the one they'd shared at her doorstep the first night they'd gone out but it was no less sweet. She felt his hand touch her hair, securing a few strands that had fallen from her ponytail behind one ear as he cradled her face.

As quickly as the kiss had occurred it ended and House straightened to look up as Faith and Lauren returned, shopping bags slung over Lauren's arm to her elbow. Lauren hopped off the bike and dashed over to them, squealing.

"Buffy they had it! They had the movie we were talking about!" Lauren gushed and House and Buffy watched Lauren bounce on the balls of her feet. She held open the bag for Buffy to see and House peeked inside then regarded Buffy with an ironic grin.

"Ghost?" He asked dryly and Buffy frowned at him in offense.

"What? It's romantic and sweet and okay so it's a total chick flick but you can't tell me it's not good." Buffy argued and House shot Faith a conspiratorial look.

"Horror flick kinda girl?" He asked and she flashed him a thumbs up.

"I like him, Buffy if you don't want him can I have him?" Faith asked and Buffy huffed and stalked to the manager's office to return her key. Lauren got back into Buffy's car to pet Lestat and Faith eyed House as he stared after Buffy.

"You really like her huh?" She assessed and he didn't answer. "Good." She said simply and leaned her elbows against B's car. House turned his questioning gaze on Faith at this and she met him stare for stare.

"Good?" He repeated and she inclined her head.

"Don't get me wrong, I meant what I said. Screw her over, you're a dead man. That includes the little stunt you pulled yesterday." She said sternly and he made a face. "Way I see it, B's been through the mill by guys and it's nice to see her smiling again. So as long as she stays that way, we're five by five you and me."

"She didn't used to smile? What her exes didn't have my sparkling wit?" He drawled to hide his curiosity.

"Let's just say they had a very dead sense of humor." Faith snickered at the inside joke. "As in flat-lining, turn to dust." She went on and he studied her closely. "You met Angel right?" She asked and he smiled.

"Point taken," He admitted. "The guy got touchy because my cane decided he looked better on the floor."

Faith burst into delighted laughter, "You tripped him?" She crowed and he bobbed his head, smirking. "That's so great, you're my hero."

She kept chuckling as Buffy approached and Buffy looked at them both warily. "Do I want to know?" She asked House because Faith was still laughing.

"Undoubtedly not, but I'll probably have a Tourette's moment and blurt it out later." He quipped and Buffy shook her head as Faith snorted.

"I'm following you then?" Faith asked Buffy and she nodded. Faith nudged House's elbow and raised her eyebrows. "Don't forget what I said Gimpy." With that, she walked back over to her bike and pulled on her helmet.

Buffy glanced between Faith to House, her face knitted in confusion. "What was that about?" She asked and he shrugged.

"Haven't the foggiest."

Buffy looked at him for another moment and he smiled innocently at her until she shook her head, giving up on that particular topic. "How's the patient? Do you have a diagnosis yet?" She asked.

"Not yet, we're thinking Tularemia but she's in a coma so that's probably not it." He shrugged, unconcerned. Buffy nibbled her thumb for a moment and he watched her, wondering if she knew how cute she looked when she was thinking.

"Want to see my new place?" She blurted and he smiled.

House followed Buffy into her new house, admiring the way her jeans curved to her behind as she walked. She set the box she was carrying down when she reached the foyer and she started to show him around. He was impressed; the house was big enough for Buffy and Lauren plus at least 3 more people.

When they made it back downstairs Faith poked her head out from the kitchen, her cell phone in hand. "Uh B? Got a minute?" She asked and without waiting for a reply, she latched onto Buffy's wrist and pulled her into the other room, leaving House in the living room. Unable to pass up the opportunity to eavesdrop he walked over to a spot he could listen in without notice.

"Willow and Xander are at the hospital. Giles told them about the accident and they're there to see you. That Chase guy just called me." Faith told Buffy in a hushed voice, fully aware that House was trying to listen in.

"Chase called you?" She asked, a little stunned. What were they doing there?

"Yeah he was a little reluctant about you discharging yesterday and I mentioned I was sticking around so we swapped numbers in case something came up." Faith said dismissively.

"Oh." Buffy leaned against the kitchen counter, thinking rapidly. Xander had taken Anya's death really hard and had disappeared to Africa after the final battle and Willow had chosen to go with Giles and some of the Slayers to England to re-establish the New Council. Aside from a few conversations, she hadn't really spoken to either at length, and she wondered how Willow had managed to track Xander down. She wiped suddenly damp palms on her jeans as House decided to abandon the pretense that he wasn't snooping and limped into the kitchen, Lauren at his side.

House's eyes met Buffy's and he saw the turmoil in them, but when he saw the faraway look in them along with the mixed emotions, he went closer to her. He leaned down to get her attention, and she focused on him formulating a plan of action.

"You okay?" He asked gruffly and she gave a distracted nod.

"We should get back to the hospital then, House has a patient to cure and apparently I have friends to see." Buffy decided finally and Faith watched her in silence. She remembered how things had gone down during the fight with the First and she wondered if Red or Harris had ever apologized for booting B out. She hadn't wanted any part of it, and B knew that then and knew it now. She had to- if she didn't then they wouldn't be as solid as they were now right? She wished it had been Lil Sis instead of the witch and Harris, or even the Watcher. She was just glad B had her and Lauren around to lean on, and House too, if the concerned way he watched her was anything to go by.

Seeing Faith's considering expression and House's concerned one made Buffy smile at them both in thanks before she went back to the foyer and to the porch. The trio exchanged looks and followed her outside, and Lauren made sure Lestat wasn't near the door before they left.

Buffy drove in silence and House spent the ride bickering with Lauren but when he reached over and closed his large hand around hers she shot him a grateful look. She was actually nervous about seeing her friends! House didn't ask, he didn't criticize, he was just there.

When she reached the hospital, he kept his hand on hers, as casually as if it was something he'd always done, not an offer of comfort and support she seemed to desperately need. They walked inside, Lauren on Buffy's left with her hand in Buffy's and House on her right and Faith bringing up the rear, united. Lauren had only heard about the Scoobies yet she knew more than House who just saved his questions for later. Buffy had no doubts about the fact that he'd grill her later but she was just happy he was there with her then, a silent supporter.

They saw Willow and Xander standing at the front desk with Foreman, but Cameron and Chase weren't around. Xander and Willow smiled warmly at Buffy and they didn't seem to notice her escorts. Buffy, House, Lauren and Faith all came to a halt less than a foot from the two Scoobies and only then did they notice Buffy and House's joined hands.

"Buffster, long time  
>no see," Xander said as he moved forward to embrace her in a hug and House and Lauren released her hands as she hugged him back. Willow took his place when he let her go and Buffy shut her eyes tightly to keep from crying. She missed her friends.<p>

Once again the distance between them seemed like a gaping chasm and House turned to Foreman and they began discussing the patient as Buffy spotted another familiar figure walking toward them.

"The vending machines aren't working," Kennedy said as she reached Willow's side and then turned to look at Buffy. Even someone who knew nothing of the history between the two could plainly see that there was a lot of residual resentment. "Buffy."

"Kennedy." Buffy returned evenly and Willow glanced worriedly between them. House saw Chase exit the elevator and walking toward them and grinned wickedly.

"Oh goody now we can have that big orgy I daydreamed about, I get the blonde!" He commented and both Buffy and Faith rolled their eyes, used to House's humor by now. Willow, Kennedy and Xander looked at the doctor with confusion then at the giggling Lauren and finally at Buffy.

"Guys, this is House, House, my friends Willow, Xander and Kennedy." Buffy said, gesturing to each as they were introduced. Willow smiled and waved at House, Xander and House sized each other up, but Kennedy blurted, "I'm not her friend, I'm just here because Willow is."

House's eyes sparkled mischievously and Foreman decided to step in before his colleague could stick his foot in his mouth. Not quickly enough as it seemed, because he drawled, "Even better, girl on girl's always been my favorite."

Buffy rubbed the bridge of her nose as Xander and Faith snickered, Kennedy glared at House and Lauren gaped, Foreman just looked apologetically at Buffy and Willow.

"Your mouth should have one of those censor buttons for content whenever you speak." Buffy told House and he grinned at her in reply. "Or even better a Mute button." She pinched his arm with only a small bit of Slayer strength. "House?"

"Yes?"

"Remember the Bambi Rule we talked about?"

"Of course."

"Use it." She told him sternly and he pouted.

"You ruin all my fun; you're just as bad as Cuddles." He sulked and Buffy let out an exasperated sigh. She should have known better than to think he'd be anything other than himself.

Buffy ignored him to smile at Chase and he smiled back, and yet again Buffy made the necessary introductions. When she got to Xander, though Chase stopped listening, taking a step toward the other man and slugging him square on the jaw.

Xander stumbled in surprise as the rest of the group stared at Chase in shock. Willow put a restraining hand on a scowling Kennedy and Buffy intercepted Chase while House watched the scene with a wide grin. "Easy Rambo," she soothed Chase but he was still glaring at Xander.

"Ow!" Xander yelped, putting a hand on his red jaw. "What the hell was that for?"

"You cheated on my cousin!" Chase growled and Xander looked at Buffy for confirmation, who removed her hand from Chase's chest. "In high school you dated Cordelia Chase, then cheated on her and she wound up impaled and in the hospital."

Xander and Willow both paled as Faith's eyebrows rose almost to her hairline. She'd heard about it but she hadn't made the connection until now. Buffy obviously had before his explanation and House leaned against the desk as if he was finding the whole thing entertaining, which he probably was.

"She was your cousin?" Willow breathed because Xander seemed incapable of speaking. Chase nodded once and his beeper went off but he ignored it to continue glaring at Xander. House looked at his own pager when it went off and sighed disappointedly.

Foreman put a hand on Chase's shoulder and they walked off down the hall toward their patient's room. House looked at Buffy and asked, "Find me when you're done later?"

"That depends on if you plan on criticizing the movie all night," She replied and he scoffed.

"Of course I will, have we just met?" He said and she laughed. When he made no move to leave she nodded and he gave her cheek a swift kiss before following his ducklings.

The show of affection between Buffy and House didn't go unnoticed by her friends and she felt a knot tighten in her stomach as he left. She turned back to Willow and Xander and felt Lauren take her hand once again, as well as Faith's presence behind her.

"So…..hi guys." She chirped brightly and Willow gave her a small smile, Kennedy scowled, and Xander just blinked, his hand still on his jaw.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Buffy led her friends into an empty portion of the hallway and looked at them uncertainly. "You're um, here." She began, and leaned back against the wall, one leg propped and her arms folded across her chest.

"Giles told us you were in an accident?" Willow said softly and Kennedy looked her over swiftly.

"She doesn't look fine, can we leave now?" Kennedy retorted and Lauren frowned at her. Faith caught Lauren's arm before she could advance on the other girl and Lauren stopped.

"I am fine, but you feel free to go ahead." Buffy replied, her voice dripping with scathing sweetness.

"Um, Kenn? Can we have a minute?" Willow interjected and Kennedy glared at her girlfriend before huffing and flouncing away. Lauren watched her progress with narrowed eyes and Buffy met Willow's gaze. "Sorry, she doesn't mean to be-."

"Yes she does, but its fine. Xander, not that I'm not on the happy wagon to see you, but the last I heard was that you were trekking your way through Africa?" Buffy prompted, turning instead to her other friend. She and Kennedy had never gotten on and they likely never would, but she really didn't want to hear Willow make excuses for her either.

"Yeah, I was. I found a few Slayers there, got a few unmentionable illnesses but hey, least it's not syphilis!" Xander replied with forced enthusiasm and they shared a chuckle. "I called Wills and decided to see how the New Council was doing, and then Giles spilled the beans."

"What happened, Buffy? He didn't really tell us." Willow asked and Faith cleared her throat.

"You know what; I'm totally jonesing for a caffeine kick. Let's go get some Lauren," Faith announced and linked an arm around Lauren's shoulders to pull her away. "Nice seeing you Harris, you too Red!" She called back to Willow and Xander and Xander nodded while Willow smiled and gave a half-wave.

Buffy glanced around and saw a couple chairs and pulled three close together so they could sit, and Xander took one while Willow took the other.

"Lauren and I were out on patrol and then I saw a kid in the road, I didn't see his parent's around and then I noticed a car driving toward him." Buffy explained and they exchanged concerned looks. She went on, "I ran out and pushed him out of the way, got hit instead. Just your everyday kind of Buffy moment!" She chirped and Willow smiled.

"You are okay though right?" Xander asked. "You're not in a hospital bed so that usually means you're good."

"I am definitely of the good. Few bumps and bruises, but Slayer healing and all so I'm up and about." Buffy replied, touched by their concern.

"That's great, I mean not that you were hit because, you know ouch, but that you're okay is a good thing." Willow said and Buffy nodded.

"What about you two?" She asked, turning to Willow. "You and Kennedy are still going strong I see."

"Yeah," Willow glanced off in the direction Kennedy had gone. "When Giles told us about you being in a hospital I wanted to come out right away but we, um, got sidetracked."

"She didn't want you to go, you mean." Xander interrupted and Willow shot him a look.

"No, not really."

"It's okay Wills, I'm glad you guys are here, really. But you could've just called, no need to fly a bunch of miles to see little old me." Buffy assured her, voice deceptively bright.

"We were worried and you know Giles..." Xander trailed off and Buffy smiled.

"Said 'Dear Lord' a bunch of times and cleaned his glasses?" She asked and they both laughed uneasily.

"You got it. It's amazing he still has glasses, as often as he's cleaned them over the years." Xander answered and Buffy perked up at a random thought.

"I bet it's a spell! I mean, he got knocked out a lot in Sunnydale and then there's the manic glasses cleaning, I bet you anything he cast a spell on them to like, not break." She suggested and they shared another laugh.

"That must be it," Willow agreed. "But things are okay for you here?"

"They really are; I just got a new place, moved in today actually. Me and Lauren are training and making with the bonding, and I've got some friends already." She said and they both seemed to relax. "How's Dawn doing?"

"She's doing great, she said to say hi." Willow replied and Buffy smiled.

"And that House guy? He's your boyfriend?" Xander asked and Willow shot him a disapproving look that he ignored. "He seems, I don't know, kind of a jerk."

Her chair hit the wall as she stood abruptly, her body tensing in irritation, and Buffy turned steely eyes to her longtime friend. "You don't know him, he's a good guy."

"Buffy, please, we don't want to fight," Willow soothed but Buffy silenced her with a look.

"Then why don't you try not talking bad about my friends?" She retorted and Xander sighed.

"I'm sorry," Xander offered but Buffy interrupted him.

"Yeah? Are you sorry about anything else?" She demanded and he looked at her in confusion. "You don't even remember do you?"

"Remember what?" He asked.

"Kicking me out of the house, during the fight with the First," She answered and he straightened in his chair defensively. "You said I was wrong, that I thought I was so much better than everyone else. You asked me to leave, you all did."

"Buffy-" Willow began but she stopped when Buffy turned her glare on her as well.

"Neither of you ever apologized. I came back and saved you guys and defeated Caleb and what? You thought everything was just going to like it was? La-di-da, we're all friends again and it never happened?" She continued and Xander stood as well to face her. Willow remained sitting, looking between them with a wounded expression.

"That battle was hard on all of us, we lost a lot. And yes, in the heat of the moment we said some things that we shouldn't have, but Buffy you have to admit, you were being kind of reckless." He argued and Buffy shook her head.

"No, Xander, I was being me, I was being The Slayer." She let out a harsh laugh. "I'm the one who makes the tough decisions, and it all falls on me to lead the troops."

"Into a suicide mission?" He shot back, his voice rising dangerously.

"I did what needed to be done, no matter the cost." She returned and Xander went silent.

"Buffy, we're sorry; we didn't know that this was still bothering you." Willow spoke up, always the peacemaker.

"It was, but you know what? It's done, it's over with now. I'm glad you guys came, I appreciate it. But as you can see, I'm okay. You can go now." She turned to leave but Xander reached out and stopped her with a hand on her arm. She paused and he dropped his hand, lifting it to run through his short unruly hair.

"We were worried and we miss you, can't we get past this?" He asked softly and she felt her heart tear at the distressed note she heard in his voice. She looked at him and touched a hand to his cheek, raking her eyes over his worn, familiar face.

"I don't know Xand, give me some time okay?" She replied and he covered her hand with his own. "I really am okay; this is my chance for a clean slate. I have friends; Lauren's doing so well in training, I even, maybe, have a shot at a relationship." She confided.

"With House?" He clarified and she nodded, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

"He makes me smile. He can be an ass sometimes, but he makes me laugh. You saw earlier, have I ever laughed or smiled that way?" She pressed and he watched her, his mind racing as he considered her question.

"No, I haven't." He said finally, feeling a surge of gratitude at the guy who was making his friend happy.

"There you go, then. See? I'm just me, Buffy." She told him and they watched each other for another moment before he nodded and pulled her close for a hug.

"Missed you," he whispered and she buried her nose in the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent.

"You too," she whispered back and when he released her, her eyelashes were damp with tears. "Next time don't disappear for so long," she scolded him and he laughed.

"I won't, promise. I am sorry, Buffy." He offered and she smiled.

"I know, and thanks. Talk to you soon?" She asked and he nodded.

"Absolutely, now I should probably get back to make sure Giles hasn't murdered Andrew," he commented dryly and Buffy giggled.

"Tell the little nerd I said hi and I miss him too." She said affectionately and he smiled, squeezed her hand once and walked away down the hall to go find Kennedy.

Watching him go, Buffy let out a breath and turned to her remaining friend who was watching Xander walk away with a sad look. "Anya's death really changed him," she told Buffy and they shared a regretful look.

Willow stood and hugged Buffy close, then let go, pulling back but keeping hold of Buffy's hands. "Don't be a stranger okay? Giles misses you; he said to visit soon." She told her and Buffy smiled.

"I miss him too, and I won't. Dawn's coming to visit during her break, and then maybe I can take a flight out there, we'll see." Buffy replied and Willow's eyes twinkled as she grinned.

"You should bring your guy, he and Giles can do the bonding thing." She joked and Buffy groaned at the thought of her Watcher and House in a room together. House would drive her British friend crazy after 5 minutes, if not sooner.

"God, I can't even imagine!" Buffy shuddered and Willow giggled then shined her 'serious' face.

"He's a good guy though? I don't have to give him the shovel speech?" She asked sternly and Buffy smiled wryly.

"I think Faith beat you to the punch on that one, but yeah, he really is." She answered and Willow smiled in relief. "I'm glad you guys came," she said sincerely and Willow nodded.

"Me too, I'm just sorry we lost touch for so long. Forgive us?" She asked meekly and Buffy laughed.

"Of course, as long as you guys forgive me." She answered and linked her arm through Willow's as they walked back to the main area where Lauren, Xander, Faith and Kennedy waited.

"That's what friends are for," Willow said and they fell into step beside each other. "You have to call me and tell me absolutely everything/i about you and House. I want all the details: First date, first kiss, everything there is to know!"

Buffy giggled and rested her head on Willow's shoulder as they walked and Willow rested her own on Buffy's, making their steps a little crooked. They giggled together and approached the rest of the group, then disentangled and looked at each other.

Kennedy and Lauren were pointedly ignoring each other and Faith and Xander were chatting casually as they waited, but turned to the girls when they reached them. The friends exchanged another hug except for Kennedy, Lauren and Faith who watched awkwardly.

Xander looked between Buffy and Lauren and smiled at them both, then gave Lauren a hug too, which she returned, somewhat surprised. "Take care of each other," he told her softly and she nodded solemnly.

Linking arms with Willow, he led the two girls outside and to their car while Buffy, Lauren and Faith watched. Faith turned to Buffy and Lauren and proposed the idea of grabbing a pizza for their movie night and Lauren volunteered to go with her, leaving Buffy to seek out House.

She found him in his office, seated at his desk and with his hands behind his head, the lights once again off. She pushed open the door and poked her head in, "Hey stranger." She greeted and he lifted his chin but otherwise didn't say anything.

She walked inside and circled the desk, perching next to his chair and he looked at her so she smiled.

"Did you have the big group hug and sing kum-bi-ya?" He asked and she laughed.

"Something like that, yeah. Did you solve the case?" She asked and he nodded.

"Something like that." They lapsed into silence until he broke it again, glancing over at her and asked, "Why would someone marry a guy that was about to die?"

Buffy thought it over and reached beside her to pick up his big gray and red ball, turning it over in her hands. "Did she know he was going to die?"

"Yep."

"Hmm, could be comfort." She suggested and he raised an eyebrow so she explained, "She didn't want him to die alone. No one should have to do that."

At her vague reply he watched her closely but she was focusing on his rubber ball and pretended not to notice. "And you know this because you died before?" He pressed and she snickered softly.

"Three times to be exact, I look pretty good for a corpse huh?" She replied and his mouth twitched. "Who are we talking about?"

"Cameron, she married a guy who died of a brain tumor." He told her and she winced slightly in sympathy.

"Ouch, and she knew?"

"Yep."

"Yikes, that's gotta suck."

"One would assume so," He said and was silent a beat. "What about your friends? Everything get ironed out there?"

Buffy shrugged, then turned and replaced the ball again and he followed her movement with his eyes.

"Did they apologize?" Buffy looked at him in surprise and he smirked, "The way they acted suggested that you had a falling out with them about something."

"Is this fun for you, analyzing everything until people just want to smack you?" She asked instead and he chuckled.

"Well, _yeah!_"

Buffy snorted and shook her head and he reached out to slip an arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap. His jaw was even with her shoulder so he rested his chin upon it, his arms wrapping around her waist. She rested her head against his forehead and they sat that way for a few minutes before she said quietly, "They didn't even realize I was still upset."

When he didn't say anything she went on, "We did have an argument, last year. They didn't agree with a decision I made and we fought about it. Then it all blew over but they never said they were sorry. Am I stupid for still being upset?"

"Yes," he said bluntly and she pulled back to look at him so he tightened his arms to keep her in place. "Whatever happened was a year ago, and you've been friends for longer than that right?" He asked and she nodded. "Then forget about it. Friends allow you to not sit in a room by yourself."

Buffy thought about that and he leaned forward and caught her mouth in a kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen it. One of his hands lifted to cup her jaw and the other remained around her hips, bringing her flush against him. His tongue explored her mouth as she kissed him back with equal fervor.

The kiss continued until her phone started to vibrate and she startled at the sudden feeling, causing him to growl and fish in her pockets for it. When he couldn't find it, she giggled, "Where the heck is it?" he asked and she brushed a kiss over his lips before parting to reply.

"If you're going to frisk me for it, you'll have to be very thorough," She purred and his eyes sparkled. She reached into her pants pocket and retracted the annoying source, flipping it open to see that it was a text from Lauren saying they were back and downstairs.

House brushed kisses along her neck and she squirmed in his lap, and then put a hand on his chest to make him stop. "Lauren and Faith are back with the pizza, are you still coming over to watch the movie?" He squinted one eye shut to consider the offer.

"Sounds like fun, count me in." When he made no move to get up she giggled and leaned close to kiss him once more. He returned the kiss but whined when she broke away and stood, then accepted her hand. She pulled him from his chair and they walked to his door where he grabbed his coat, bag and cane.

Their hands were still clasped as they walked together to the elevators and to the front door and when she shivered slightly in the brisk air he put his coat over her shoulders. She hugged his jacket close and smiled, and they went to meet Faith and Lauren.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Buffy woke the next morning with a smile as she remembered the night before with Faith, Lauren and House. They'd watched Ghost and talked until late about movies and such and she'd had a wonderful time. By the time they decided to turn in it was really late and Buffy wasn't that crazy about House driving home so she'd offered him her guest room. Faith had opted for the couch, saying she was going to be up and gone early.

She dressed and stopped in her bathroom to brush her teeth and headed downstairs after peeking into Lauren's room and the spare. She found Lauren at the kitchen counter eating a piece of toast and reading a magazine and she smiled at Buffy when she came in.

"Where's House?" Buffy asked as she went to the fridge for some juice. She chewed on her lip while she debated her breakfast, and then decided on scrambled eggs and bacon. She pulled the ingredients out of the fridge and Lauren watched.

"He had to go in early, said he'd see you later though. Faith was already gone by the time I came down, said she wanted to beat the morning traffic." Lauren answered as Buffy beat the eggs and set to work. When Buffy raised an eyebrow in a question Lauren nodded, then held up two fingers to indicate she wanted two eggs. "She left you a note too," she said and handed Buffy a piece of paper and going back to her magazine.

Buffy skimmed the note: **Never was good at goodbyes, besides Robin's getting into trouble without me around to keep him in line. Talk to you soon, F.** Buffy brushed her hair behind her ears as she set the note back down and finished making the eggs and bacon. Lauren started reading one of the articles aloud to Buffy while she popped in a few more pieces of toast but she was only half listening.

She was going over the argument with Xander and Willow and wondered what exactly Cordelia had told Chase about the incident of Xander cheating. Maybe he could handle the truth about the supernatural forces out there, she thought.

She jerked out of her reverie when she realized that Lauren was expecting an answer to something. She blushed and asked, "Sorry, what?"

"I asked what your plans are today," Lauren repeated with an eye roll for Buffy's benefit.

"I was thinking about kidnapping Chase for lunch, find out what happened yesterday." She answered and Lauren nodded. "Besides, I let House off too easily about his little stunt the other day, can't have that."

Lauren started to smile and lifted her cup of orange juice and Buffy clinked her own against it and they ate their breakfast in silence. When she'd finished, Lauren placed her plate in the sink and headed upstairs to get ready for class. Buffy snagged her forgotten magazine and flipped through it, reading a few articles that caught her eye and scoffing at the tabloids.

Coming back into the kitchen a few minutes later, Lauren grabbed a soda out of the fridge and gave Buffy a one-armed hug, saying she'd see her later. Buffy waved and watched her go then put her dishes in the sink. She cleaned the dishes next and then started to unpack her things, putting things where they belonged.

A few hours later, Buffy looked around her kitchen with a smile of satisfaction, and glanced at her watch. Seeing that it was almost noon, she grabbed her purse and keys and left for the hospital, locking her door behind her. It was sunny out so she put on her sunglasses and rolled down the window as she drove, her stereo playing some singer she didn't really know. Lauren had messed with the stereo again; she thought with a wry smile and fished in her glove box for a CD, keeping one eye on the road. She pulled out a No Doubt CD and put it in just as her phone vibrated, she pulled it out to see it was a text from Lauren saying she'd be home late because she needed to study for an exam.

Buffy smiled at the nurses and doctors as she walked to the elevator and waited for it to open, at that moment she noticed the guy from the cafeteria, House's friend, walking up to her, reading some papers while he walked. The elevator dinged when it reached the main floor and he climbed in with her and they both reached for the same button and laughed.

"I remember you, Chase's friend Buffy right?" He asked, turning his attention away from the forms in his hand to examine his elevator partner. "I'm James Wilson, a friend of House's."

"Yeah, I know, we haven't exactly met yet. Last time I saw you; House hit the back of your head and said something about flirting with younger women." Buffy smiled easily and he laughed then shook her hand. Thankfully he didn't notice her slip of the tongue and question how it was she'd heard what House had said from across the room.

"I heard about your accident, I'm glad you're feeling better." Wilson said and she cocked her head to one side.

"How'd you hear that, was there a bulletin or something?" She asked, even though she had a pretty good idea how. House.

Sure enough, "House came and talked to me about something he found in your medical records." He said and fidgeted slightly. She watched as he debated with himself about whether to mention her undoubtedly colorful records and she hid a smile when he did. "There was a death certificate in them?"

"Clerical error, when my mom died I applied for a birth certificate but they somehow sent the wrong one." She told him the same lie she'd told House but he didn't give her the incredulous look House had.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-," he started and she smiled at him, trying to put him at ease.

"It's okay; you didn't mean anything by it. So, you know House like really well right?" She asked, changing the subject subtly. He let out a breath and smiled back but looked a little warily at her at the mention of his friend.

"That would depend on what he's done." He answered and she laughed.

"True, he has a habit of getting in trouble," she answered and he nodded. The elevator reached their floor and they walked out and toward the offices. He told her a little about House when he was in med school and she laughed in delight at how they met.

When they reached his office he made a face and she giggled, "We should talk soon, I want to know all about House." She told him and he nodded, and then went into his office and she turned to look at House's outer office where he was standing in front of a white board and his fellows were seated at a small table.

She pushed open the door and they turned to look at her and Chase smiled, House's lips twitched and she saw Foreman nod his head in hello. She waved at him and looked back at House who turned to face her, forgetting whatever he was about to write.

"Please tell me you've come to save me from these idiots," he told her, giving his fellows a brief glare when he said idiots and she smiled.

"Sorry, I actually came to kidnap Chase for lunch, you don't mind do you?" She asked, one hand resting on one hip and he bowed his head for a second.

"Do I have to pay a ransom?" He asked and she giggled.

"No, but I'm sure we can think up something in terms of currency." She winked at him and heard the girl, Cameron mutter under her breath, "Yeah I bet, by the hour." Ignoring that, Buffy looked back at House who nodded.

"Then by all means, kidnap him. He's filled his quota of dumb ideas for the morning." House answered and Chase huffed but got to his feet. When he'd walked out into the hall, Buffy blew House a kiss and he smiled and went back to his board, barking an order at the remaining fellows.

They went to a small restaurant and Buffy studied him closely, "Chase, about yesterday-." She began but he interrupted.

"I'm sorry about that, for punching Xander. It's just..." He sighed and toyed with his fork and she waited. "Cordy called me one day when I was in school and she'd told me a little about this guy she was dating, but I hadn't paid much attention. That day she called me from her hospital bed and she told me about him and some girl getting kidnapped by some drug dealer. She said that he wanted something someone had but that when she found him, he was kissing the girl.

"When she tried to run away, distraught, she fell through the stairs and was impaled on a pipe. She cried to me for two hours, Buffy. When I heard his name, I just kind of snapped." He finished and she touched her hand to his, and he raised his eyes to look at her. She saw pain in them, not only at the memory on which he was speaking of, but at the mention of his late cousin.

"I know, and he doesn't hold it against you." She soothed and he looked back down again. Buffy fiddled with her straw and again debated the matter of whether to let him in on the secret. "Chase, how much did Cordy tell you about Sunnydale?" She asked finally and he frowned as he thought about his answer.

"She mentioned gangs on PCP and something about apocalypses' but I figured she was being dramatic. Why?" He said and Buffy leaned back in her chair.

"What I'm about to tell you may seem a little out there but I promise it's the truth." She started and he nodded slowly. She gave him the 'world is older than you know speech' and summed it up with the Slayer one, and watched him for any reaction.

Chase blinked slowly as he processed the information, and then ran through his memories of anything Cordy had told him that coincided with what he'd just heard. "So..." he began."You're telling me that there is such a thing as vampires and demons?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yep, only they're not like all the literature talks about. I mean yes they can't go out in sunlight and they can't touch crosses, but garlic doesn't do anything." She told him, "They can be killed by decapitation, stakes, and sunlight and of course."

Chase continued to stare at her, blinking slowly while he processed. "How many have you killed?"

"I don't really keep count."

"That many, then." He said and she shrugged. "Wow, that's just...wow."

"They aren't all with the evil though; I mean there are maybe two that are on the good side." She offered and he looked mystified. "You remember Angel? He's one of the white hats."

"And she knew all this? My cousin?" He asked his tone completely shell-shocked. When she nodded he pushed away his plate and rubbed his forehead. "I can't believe it, all those times she said the world almost ended, she was serious."

Buffy laughed and gave him the brief version of how Sunnydale was wiped off the map and he listened, not saying a word. When she finished he waited a beat, sorting through everything in his head before he spoke again. "Why are you telling me all this? I mean, I'm glad you are. I think. But I'm a little surprised I guess."

"I hoped you'd be more open to the supernatural aspects of the world because of something Cordy may have mentioned. As it is, the only one who knows here in Plainsboro is Lauren and I guess I wanted to see if you could handle it. Are you sorry I told you?" She conceded and he chewed on his nail then answered.

"No, I'm not sorry; I guess it's just information overload you know?" He said and she smiled, knowing full well what he meant. "Lauren's like you then, a Slayer?"

She nodded and he ran a hand through his hair, making the ends stick up a little. "I don't mean to doubt you but..."

"You need proof." She finished and he nodded sheepishly but she'd been expecting that. She got to her feet and he followed her outside once they paid their bill. She led him to a dark alley where she heard voices and told him to watch.

In the alley she found a vampire that was wrestling with a young girl, and he was just about to go for her throat when Buffy got his attention with, "Okay let's make this quick."

The vampire turned golden eyes on her and Buffy smiled at him, gripping her stake in one hand. Buffy looked at the girl who turned terrified eyes on her and back to the vampire, "you can run now." The girl took her advice and ran stumbling away from the alley, leaving just Buffy, the vampire and Chase.

"You just cost me a meal, Slayer," the vampire growled and Buffy rolled her eyes. "Guess you and your friend will do for an appetizer though." He grinned toothily at her and lunged and Buffy back hand punched him in the jaw while Chase staggered back in shock.

The vampire roared in fury and tried to hit her but she caught his wrist and twisted the vampire's arm behind his back and against his spine, turned him to face Chase who watched, transfixed. She brought her stake up and plunged it into the vampire's chest and he turned to ash, and she heard Chase gasp. She brushed the dust off her clothes and slipped her stake back into its hiding place and walked over to him. He stared in wonder as she approached and she worried that he would lose it until he looked at her with respect.

"That was incredible," he breathed and he fell into step with her as they headed out of the alley and toward her car. "I thought they can't go out in daylight though?" he asked and Buffy nodded.

"They can't, but that alley was dark enough to block the sun from him so he wasn't flammable. I'm guessing he had a nest somewhere close by, I'll come back tomorrow with Lauren to look for it." She answered as she drove back to the hospital and he went quiet again.

"Are you going to tell House?" he asked and Buffy bit her lower lip uncertainly.

"I will, not yet though." She answered and he nodded. "We both know how obnoxious he'll be once he finds out. He'll probably try and find a vampire just so he can run a million tests on them, the pain in the ass." She said dryly and he snickered.

"Probably. So that's how you healed so fast? The Slayer thing?" he queried and she confirmed it and explained about the rest of the Slayer package. "That explains a lot, now that I think of it. The MRI lab for one thing."

"Yeah, that was stupid of me. I could have blown it by exposing myself but I got scared you guys had found something." She confided and went on softly, "my mom died of an aneurysm that was a result of a brain tumor operation. I've been afraid ever since that I'd get one or that my sister Dawn would, I forgot about the Slayer hearing."

Chase was once again silent, then put a comforting hand on her shoulder in sympathy and she smiled at him in thinks. "I can understand why, and I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yeah, me too. Well, I'd better get you back before House gets upset at me for keeping his valuable duckling hostage," she joked and he laughed. They walked toward the hospital still talking about everything and Buffy felt like a weight had just been lifted off her chest and that she could breathe properly. Now she wasn't so alone, she had someone who wasn't a Slayer that knew her secret and that knowledge was comforting.

Chase's beeper went off right when they walked inside the hospital and he sighed, "Patient?" she asked and he nodded. He went off to go attend to his patient and she watched him go, still smiling. She went back to the elevator to go and find House, thinking about what she would say to discourage him from snooping into her private secrets. She'd tell him the truth when the time was right, but right now it wasn't and he had to know that doing things like sending his minions to snoop into her things or a background check were simply_ not_ okay.

She strode into his office and shut the door firmly and closed the blinds so no passerby's could watch. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a stern look, and he made a face at her. "I didn't do it, whatever it was." He said and she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, you very well did. What you've been doing, the background check, the breaking and entering? Stop it. I will tell you what the truth is when I decide to, not before. So whatever you've got planned, hiring a private eye or hacking into my files, you better forget about it right now mister." She scolded and he tried to give her an innocent look.

"I would never do that, dearest. I'm wounded you think so," he drawled and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Suck it up," she scoffed and he smiled. "Seriously though, if you do that again I'm going to have to threaten you with bodily harm. I'm talking lots of violent content, blood, limbs falling off; it's not going to be pretty. That way just leads to all around badness, so don't." She told him with a casual shrug that belied the seriousness of her words.

"Okay." He agreed and she eyed him then walked closer to his desk, her steps hesitant.

"Okay?" she clarified and he nodded then turned back to the scan he was studying when she walked in. "Okay." She said and sat in his yellow chair, her ankles crossed as she watched him think.

House started grumbling himself aloud as if he'd forgotten she was there, talking about medicines and symptoms as he went over the case in his head. He was aware she was watching and listening but paid her no mind. She didn't offer any insights but she didn't interrupt either, she just listened to him ramble and argue with himself until he went silent.

"Light bulb moment?" she asked and he looked at her. "Whenever you've solved a case you get this look on your face that reminds me of a light bulb turning on." She elaborated and he got up to leave. He stopped when he reached the chair and leaned down to give her a kiss and she purred like a happy cat, making him smile.

"Light bulb," he agreed. "Now I just have to go trick my patient into letting me give him a surgery he desperately needs."

"Have fun!" she said brightly and he chuckled. "Dinner tonight?" she asked as she got up to walk with him. He nodded and he got in the elevator to go take care of his doctorly responsibilities, and Buffy decided to take the stairs down.

When she reached the lobby, she heard an unmistakable voice she hadn't expected to hear in a long time, "If she's not a sodding patient, then tell me where is she?" she heard and spun around to see none other than Spike glaring at the receptionist at the desk.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Characters belong to their creators, I claim nothing :) See Chapter 1 for full disclaimer**

**Chapter 14**

Buffy recovered from her shock and walked toward Spike at the same moment he sensed her and she stared as he faced her, relief evident on his face. Seeing him looking exactly the same as when he'd saved the world and collapsed the Hellmouth took her breath away. She'd managed to beat it out of Andrew- metaphorically speaking- that Spike and Angel had flown out to Italy believing she was in danger but she hadn't been able to face him until now.

"Buffy," Spike uttered her name breathily before seizing her in a tight hug and Buffy started in surprise. Her arms went around him to return the hug and her eyes fluttered open and shut, still shocked to see him. "Bloody hell, pet I thought you were hurt."

"Spike? What are you doing here?" She asked once he finally released her and he ran a hand through his cropped platinum blonde hair. Buffy wasn't sure what to do with her own hands so she crossed her arms defensively in front of her chest.

"The buggering whelp told me you were in an accident, Peaches beat me here by over a day. I would've been here sooner but I ran into some trouble on the way." He replied and Buffy nodded.

"I was in an accident but I'm fine now. Andrew told you?" She asked and he grunted a response, his attention fixed on House who was watching from the second floor, leaning against the railing. His eyes narrowed upon House when he noticed that he was watching Buffy closely, but she didn't spare him so much as a glance.

House turned to the elevator and disappeared out of sight and Spike turned to Buffy, studying her intently. "Are you still sore at me about SunnyHell?" He asked and Buffy frowned at him.

"No, I'm not still sore at you about that. I'm 'sore' as you put it about the fact that you came back and didn't bother mentioning it to me." She accused and he winced. "Yes, Andrew's a terrible bluffer, he told me about you both coming to Rome."

"We thought you were in trouble!" He defended and she arched a brow. "We got word that you were in danger and then that you were mixed up with that ponce the Immortal."

"Mixed up? I was dating the guy!" She argued back. "He's hardly menacing in the trying-to-kill-me-or-my-friends kind of way."

"Well that's an improvement, pet." He threw back and she glared at him as House approached the blonde pair.

"And you'd know? Oh that's right, you were one of them before you got neutered!" She retorted and then turned on House, "What?" Buffy snapped at him and his lips twitched in a suppressed smile.

"Don't mind me, this is fascinating." House commented dryly and Spike looked at him too, then his scowl deepened when he caught a whiff of him.

"Bollocks, you're shagging **him**now?" He asked and Buffy glared daggers at Spike.

"House, I'll call you later. I have to go kill someone." Buffy said through gritted teeth and grabbed Spike's arm forcefully and pulled him from the hospital. The sky was downcast and it was nearly time for the sun to set, which explained the 'how' of Spike being there, but not the 'why'.

Once they were a sufficient distance away from the hospital, Buffy released him and he adjusted his duster and pulled out a cigarette and his lighter. He fit the cigarette between his teeth and lit it while she fumed.

"That smelling thing is gross by the way," she told him and he smirked. "I'm not _shagging_him, we've just gone out a few times."

Spike's eyebrow rose as he regarded her skeptically and she growled, snatched his cigarette, tossed it to the ground and stomped on it. "Bloody hell woman! That was my last one!" He protested and she grinned at him.

"Then go get more, preferably far away from here." She said sweetly and he chuckled and stepped closer to her, violating her personal space. His hand rose to toy with the ends of her hair and his eyes met hers in a stare off.

"Aw, you're not happy to see me, love?" He purred and Buffy rolled her eyes at him. His hand traveled along her arm and to her chin, cradling her jaw gently as if she were made of fine china.

"I'd be happier to see the Master, Spike." She whispered back and he stumbled back, his hand going to his still chest in mock pain.

"Ooh she bites! Be still my heart, oh wait, I forgot, it is still!" He taunted and Buffy flushed in annoyance. "Relax, I just came to see if you were up and about, don't get your knickers in a twist."

Buffy made herself relax, aware she was being a little too hard on him, but he'd always managed to set off her nastier side- and not in the literal sense, because that was way with the badness. They walked together through the parking lot and down the road, abandoning her car in favor of walking as they talked.

"I'm fine; I should have gotten hit by a car sooner, everyone's all in the concerned club." She commented and he smirked. "You just missed Willow and Xander and Faith." She told him and he sighed in mock disappointment and snapped his fingers.

"Damn, if only I'd gotten here sooner." He said sarcastically and she laughed. "Has the Bit and the Watcher been by?"

Buffy shook her head no, "Lauren said she told him she'd call when I woke up and he told Xander and Willow who came. Dawn doesn't know, I don't think." She stopped walking and snatched his elbow, making him halt and face her. "Don't say a word of this to her, she'll freak and demand to fly out here right away. She needs to focus on school, promise me you won't say anything Spike."

"Promise and swear," Spike replied and she let his elbow go and they went back to walking. "Lauren's the chit you're training then, yeah?" He asked and she nodded.

Buffy launched into the story of how she'd met Chase and about Lauren and everything that had happened so far. He grunted when she mentioned House but crowed with laughter when she recounted the encounter between House and Angel. They stopped at a small gas station and he bought a pack of smokes and she a coffee to drink while they caught up.

Her phone rang while she waited for him when he stopped at the bathroom and she saw that it was House, but she didn't answer. What would she say to him? She slipped her phone back into her pocket and smiled at Spike as he came out, muttering about stupid people.

He grumbled for several blocks about Angel and told her about what had gone on since he'd appeared as a ghost in L.A. after the First aftermath. He told her about Fred, about a chick named Illyria, who he often referred to as 'Lyri' and ranted about some guy named Lindsey. He summed it up with the Wolfram and Hart battle and the Circle of the Black Thorn, telling her of the Shanshu prophecy.

When what he was saying finally sunk in she stopped once again and he sighed as he faced her, his eyebrows knitted in concern at the way she was looking at him. "Human? You or Angel could become human?"

"That's what it said, but you know how prophecies are, right tricky buggers." Spike said offhandedly and Buffy continued to gape at him. "The way the Powers went on, it'll be one of us, whichever's the true champion."

Her mind spinning with this new information, she wasn't aware that her phone was ringing until he grabbed it and flipped it open with a mischievous grin. "What's up doc?"

Realizing who it was, Buffy's eyes went wide and she lunged for the phone but he held it out of her reach easily, his grin turning smug as House asked for Buffy. "Why certainly, I'll tell the bird you called. She's kind of tuckered out, you know how it is when ex's come to town, gotta bone up on her history."

He danced further out of her reach as she swore and he frowned slightly as he flipped the phone closed again and looked at her with a dismayed look, his eyes shining in triumph. "He hung up, don't reckon he was very pleased." He told her and she groaned, gripping the sides of her head with her palms and wanting to yank out her hair.

He held out her phone and she glared at him and he walked back to the hospital, saying to her brightly as he went, "Well come on ducks, I'm felling peckish!" Grumbling and muttering curses at the annoying vampire, Buffy complied and made a note to herself to do damage control with House ASAP.

House frowned as he pulled his phone away from his ear and stared at the contraption. The guy she'd taken off with had just answered her phone and made a vague reference to them being physical. He set the phone down and turned back to his computer, typed in a few keywords and found what he was looking for. He picked his work phone off the receiver and dialed a number then leaned back in his chair while it rang.

"Yes, this is Dr. Gregory House. I'm trying to get in touch with the Head of your office, a Rupert Giles I believe?" He asked the person and waited for a reply. "Yes, I'll hold." He said while rolling his eyes.

Buffy and Spike reached her car and she drove to her new house and he whistled under his breath, impressed. When she opened the door, she looked at him for a moment and he pulled a face. She laughed and invited him in, then gave him the tour, and he tugged on a lock of her hair as he passed.

They found Lauren in the living room and she stood when they entered, looking at Spike curiously. "Lauren, this is Spike." Buffy introduced him and Spike smirked at Lauren who gaped at him in recognition.

"As in the 'saved-the-world-by-closing-the-Hellmouth Spike?'" she breathed in amazement and Buffy snorted.

"It's just Spike, thanks." He drawled and he glanced down where Lestat was batting at the laces of his shoes, oblivious to the shoe's owner. He raised his gaze to meet Buffy's and she smiled. "You have a cat?" He asked and bent down to pick the little fellow up.

"His name's Lestat, we were raiding a vamp nest and found him. I think they were playing kitten poker, he was the only one we found." She answered with a frown at the image of the rest of the poor kittens.

"Lestat?" Spike scoffed as he sprawled across the sofa, Lestat in his lap. Lestat purred and licked his paws while Spike petted him.

"Lauren's idea, Slayer humor." Buffy explained and he smirked. Her stomach rumbled and she realized she was actually hungry. She went toward the kitchen and Lauren followed, leaving Spike and Lestat in the living room. She looked in the fridge for something to eat and found the makings for spaghetti and started a pot of water on the stove.

"Did you see Chase?" Lauren asked as she perched on the kitchen counter, watching Buffy make dinner. They heard the sound of the television being turned on and Buffy rolled her eyes, knowing Spike would undoubtedly find some soap opera to occupy himself with.

"Yeah, I told him about us." Buffy said, and Lauren hesitated.

"That we're Slayer's?" She asked and Buffy nodded. "How'd he take it?"

"About as well as could be expected, he wanted proof so I staked a vampire in front of him." She answered and Lauren giggled, imagining Chase's expression.

"Poor Chase, I bet his whole world's all topsy-turvy now." Lauren said and Buffy smiled back. "And House? What'd you tell him? Should I call Willow and ask her to ward the place or what?"

"I told him if he does it again, I'll hurt him, but that might not be such a bad idea." Suddenly, Buffy's phone rang again and she fumbled for it, hoping it was House so she could explain what happened earlier. She turned curious eyes to Lauren when she saw it wasn't, "Hey Giles."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

House lounged back in his chair, crossing his eyes and reached absently for his Vicodin pills, popping a few and swallowed them dryly. He jolted alert once the phone was answered by a British voice, "This is Rupert Giles. How can I help you?"

He sat forward in his chair and hit the scroll down button on his mouse, "Mr. Giles, This is Dr. House. I treated Miss Summers recently."

Giles let out a worried breath, "Yes, yes, um is everything alright? I was told she'd woken up and recovered."

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I believe you sent me her medical records recently and I found some anomalies in them. Her recovery was abnormally fast, she was brought in with multiple rib fractures and a few contusions, but what stumps me is that they healed in a little over a day." House explained carefully, still skimming the web page on the NWC, what that stood for he couldn't tell.

"She wasn't on any pain-killers which in and of itself was strange and her MRI came up clean, in fact I couldn't find any evidence of impact. If I hadn't seen her when the ambulance brought her in, I'd have thought she was a perfectly fine." He went on and noticed that Mr. Giles had become very quiet on the other line. "Mr. Giles?"

"Oh, um yes, I'm here." Giles reassured him, not allowing his relief to show in his voice. He hadn't expected anything else truthfully; she was a Slayer after all. Faith had warned him that this Dr. House person was a very curious sort but he hadn't really anticipated that he'd receive a call from the man.

"I'm glad to hear that Buffy is alright and has made a full recovery, and I'm sorry but I can't divulge any information without her consent." Giles replied diplomatically and jotted down a note on the pad of paper next to his hand. He needed to call Buffy soon and reassess exactly how much this Dr. House knew about her.

"I see, perhaps you can tell me what your relationship is to her? She doesn't have your last name so you can't be her father. The only relative she's admitted to was a sister named Dawn, yet she hasn't mentioned you." House asked bluntly in his usual manner. "Why are you her proxy and not the other Miss Summers?"

Giles huffed and House smiled, but the British man dodged the question, "I've known Buffy since her High School days, she's a very close friend. I'm rather busy at the moment Dr. House, so if there's anything else?"

Suddenly there was another voice on the line, "Giles, I found that translation for the Sumerian text-," said the voice of a young man who sounded distinctly nerdy.

"Thank you Andrew, please hang up now." Giles interrupted the boy and House heard a click as Andrew obeyed. "My apologies, we have the same phone line."

"Not a problem, that's all I suppose. Thank you, Mr. Giles." House answered, aware that he wasn't going to get any more answers.

"Good bye Dr. House and thank you for the update and taking care of Buffy, she's very dear to a lot of people." Giles said softly and House had a flash of the girl in question, and he had to agree.

"That's understandable, she's a special girl." With that, House hung up and leaned back in his chair, turning over the conversation in his mind.

Why would this Mr. Giles be studying Sumerian? What were they translating? What was the translation for? Is that what Buffy did? How was she connected to Giles? Why hadn't Giles come himself? Why was he still no closer to figuring out how she healed so fast? Miss Buffy Anne Summers was a mystery indeed.

Buffy shared a look with Lauren as she listened to Giles explain about the latest prophecy and translation Andrew had cracked. Lauren watched Buffy's facial expressions and then smiled at Spike as he entered, Lestat draped across his shoulders. The kitten had taken an immediate liking to the blonde vampire and he sat at the stool beside Lauren and watched Buffy.

"Buffy, Dr. House called me not long ago. He asked about your medical files and how you recovered so fast." Giles began and Buffy sucked in a sharp breath, murder in her mind. "I, well, I didn't tell him anything, but I don't think it's a subject that he's likely to drop."

"Yeah, you're right. House has been trying to snoop into my business since I got here, he had his fellows break into my hotel room." She told him. "Thanks to Wills, they didn't find my Slayer gear but I'm going to ask her to erect some wards for the new place I just got." Buffy sighed and rubbed her temples tiredly.

"How much has he found out about you Buffy?" Giles asked and she could almost hear him cleaning his glasses. Her theory about them came to her mind but the levity of the situation they were discussing chased it away again.

"Not much. Giles, why was there a death certificate in my file?" Buffy asked and Spike snickered. Buffy shot him a warning look at the same time Lauren slugged his arm and he sulked, muttering about abusive Slayers.

"There was a what?" Giles asked, surprised.

"A death certificate," She confirmed and he went silent. "I mean I know I joined the club of the dead people but why didn't you take that out before you sent it?"

"I honestly had no idea it was in there. I had a difficult time even finding your records Buffy, the hospital in Sunnydale kept them but I managed to get a hold of a doctor who'd left town before the final battle." Giles answered. "He had a friend in records and he faxed them to me, I was so concerned for your well-being when Lauren called that I sent them directly to House."

Buffy leaned forward against the counter and put her hand on the back of her neck, her hair falling over her shoulders. Spike and Lauren watched and Lestat meowed softly at her, worried about his owner.

"What did you tell him when he asked?" Giles questioned. "I'm assuming he asked."

"Oh he did, I told him it was a clerical mix-up, that I applied for my birth certificate and they sent a death certificate instead." Buffy said dryly and both Lauren and Spike looked at her skeptically. She heard Giles let out a slight laugh too.

"So this apocalypse, do you need me and Lauren?" Buffy asked and Lauren let out a worried breath. Buffy gave her a small smile of reassurance and patted her hand and Spike started talking to her in a low voice, distracting her successfully.

"I don't think so, I'm pretty sure we have a handle on the situation, but if I do, I'll call." Giles answered. "I just wanted to fill you in and to ask about Dr. House. Dawn is doing well in school, and she and I will be coming to visit in a couple of months, as planned."

"Okie dokie, you know the drill, if the apocalypse comes, beep me." She said brightly, repeating what she'd said to him years before and he chuckled fondly. "Now I have to go slay a certain nosy doctor."

"Goodbye, my dear and take care." Giles said and they both hung up.

Buffy set the phone back on the cradle and ran through a dozen different scenarios in which she could torture and maim House until she caught Spike's sly smirk. She suddenly had a very bad, **bad** idea and she smiled back at him. "Say Spike, can I ask you a teensy favor?"

Spike stalked the hallways of the hospital like the predator he was, looking for the one he was searching for. He smiled when he saw the object of his newest form of amusement and slipped inside the office without a sound and without its owner's awareness.

He observed the crippled doctor, Buffy's current beau silently, his eyes following his every movement and gesture as he studied a white board in the outer office, three other younger doctors watching. They were running through various illnesses and symptoms, trying to come up with some kind of diagnosis. He watched House as he made snide comments to his fellows and as he popped a few pills from a little pill bottle he kept in his coat pocket.

Spike crossed the office to sit behind House's desk and spun the chair experimentally, a rare smile gracing his face while he waited for the doctor to finish and return to his private office. He didn't have long to wait because the door opened and House limped in.

Spike watched him, still silent, as he went to the light switch and flipped it on, then turned and saw him in his chair. They looked at each other for several moments, sizing the other up until Spike smirked and he almost returned it.

House studied the intruder sitting in **his** chair and watched as the guy smirked. Buffy had called him Spike, but honestly, what kind of name was Spike?

When Spike had answered Buffy's phone when he'd called her earlier to ask about their dinner plans, he'd let on that the two were ex's. He noticed that Buffy seemed to have a type- tall, dark duster, all black, only difference seemed to be that Spike was blonde and English while Angel had been dark haired and brooded. He also noticed that, like Angel, Spike didn't breathe at even intervals. In fact, he seemed not to breathe at all, until he withdrew a cigarette and a Zippo.

"Can't smoke in here, hospital policies. Not that I care, but then I'll have to get the whole lecture and it's really kind of annoying when I never listen." House informed him but Spike ignored him, lighting the cigarette and exhaling a breath of smoke.

"Suppose you want your chair, yeah?" Spike asked instead and stood. House watched him as he circled his desk and sat. Spike leaned against the desk luxuriously and smoked his cigarette, "I heard you took on Buffy's case."

Since that didn't seem to be a question, House simply nodded. His leg started to hurt again so he took a few more of his Vicodin. "Yes I did."

"She's something else eh?" Spike pressed and House smiled slightly. "She's none too happy at the moment though."

"Why's that, she doesn't enjoy the post-coital snuggle?" House replied and Spike smirked.

"I like you, can see what she sees in you now." Spike commented and House arched a brow. "Truth to tell," Spike leaned close as if he was about to reveal a secret. "She never was much for snuggling."

House stamped down the niggling feeling of jealousy before Spike was able to pick up on it but the way that Spike smiled at him told him that he was unsuccessful.

"No, you see she's a bit brassed off about a certain buggering doctor calling her mentor, Giles." Spike said and House hid a smile. He'd known that Giles would call Buffy as soon as he disconnected and absently he wondered how badly she'd hurt him if he attempted to bug her phones.

"How mad? Am I in danger of losing the rest of my limbs?" House asked and Spike smiled, but something in his smile made House uneasy.

"Nothing quite so extreme, she'll cool off. I volunteered to come and do the meet and greet, but I probably should warn you, she's not one to forgive and forget. In fact," Spike said slowly as he studied his half-lit cigarette, "she's been known to get downright nasty."

House smiled and Spike leaned in closer, the overhead lights bathing his strong chiseled features. He shifted into his game face for just a second and then back and House stared at him in fascination. "Just so you know, she's nothing compared to me."

Spike tossed his cigarette butt into House's coffee cup and turned to leave, wondering if the doc would try to run tests on the cigarette butt. It'd be amusing when House's results left him with information from a centuries old guy who'd been long since dead. He liked the guy, and if he handled the results well, perhaps it'd give Buffy a starting point when she told him the truth.

He turned back to regard House lazily, "You shouldn't take so many pills; I've heard all sorts of stories. People get addicted, have hallucinations."

"I'm not addicted and I know I didn't hallucinate that." House argued and Spike looked at him curiously.

"Hallucinate what?" He asked before flashing House a wolfish grin and slipping back out and into the dark hallway, as silent as he'd arrived.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

House limped past the office he was supposed to be going to in favor of climbing into the elevator to track down the test results on Spike's cigarette that he'd dropped off over an hour ago. Wilson followed him in and House waited impatiently for the elevator to reach its designated floor.

"I don't think jabbing the button repeatedly will make it get there any faster, House." Wilson drawled and House scoffed.

"Well you know what they say about thinking, it's never good to think and talk at the same time," House retorted and Wilson sighed.

"What's your rush anyway? Your patient is stable; I don't see your ducklings hanging over your shoulder." Wilson asked him, curious about House's manner.

"I'm waiting for the test results to come in from the sample I swiped from your coffee the other day; oops did I say that out loud?" House gasped in mock horror.

"Test results from what?" Wilson asked.

"Well that would be telling, wouldn't it?" House answered as the elevator reached the floor he was anxious to get to. He limped out, turning his head over his shoulder to say to Wilson, who still watched him. "Ta!"

Wilson shook his head and pressed the button for his own floor and the doors closed with a hiss. House smiled slightly and continued in the direction of the lab, tossing a couple Vicodin in his mouth as he walked and swallowing them.

When he reached the lab he leaned against the counter, brusquely giving the technician his name and the tech nodded and went out of sight to look. House glanced around while he waited then down at his silent pager. The tech returned with another, older tech and they both looked at him warily, House was renowned for his temper and rudeness but the results he'd ordered made no medical or scientific sense.

"Dr. House, I'm the senior technician, Dr. Reiss." The man stated and House nodded once, "The sample you dropped off this morning ran into some complications."

"What kind of complications?" House asked with a frown.

Dr. Reiss slid House a file and he opened it, studying the contents intently. "Is this a joke?" He demanded and Dr. Reiss shook his head no. "Either your techs are complete **morons** or they don't know how to run a simple test."

"I assure you, Dr. House, that isn't the case." Dr. Reiss reassured him but House kept his gaze on the file. "I ran the tests myself twice, the results just don't make any sense. There's no possible way the sample came from a living person."

House was silent, completely ignoring the tech as he went over his encounter with Angel, Spike, Faith, and Buffy herself. A lot of things didn't add up, and the results of the sample from Spike's cigarette left him with far more questions than he liked. He ran over each conversation he'd had with Buffy so far, analyzing every comment she'd made, every sarcastic reply.

"Interesting. You're still morons though." He said and limped away back to the elevator to retire to his office. He still had a patient to cure, after all. Buffy and the puzzle she represented would have to wait.

Buffy sipped at her coffee cautiously while she flipped through a magazine, waiting for Spike to return. Lauren had gone downstairs to train, but she'd been awfully withdrawn lately and Buffy was a little concerned. She gave the girl some time though, understanding the need to work out problems by training. Her gaze flicked up at the sound of her front door shutting and she smiled at Spike when he walked in, a smirk on his face.

"Now that was fun!" He crowed and Buffy laughed. "You shouldn't have much trouble with the bloke now," he told her as he swept his coat out dramatically before perching on a barstool.

Buffy leaned over and patted his hand in thanks and he sulked, "I don't get at least a thank you kiss? I got jipped." He said and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Thanks Spike, really." She told him seriously and he waved his hand dismissively. "How long are you staying for?" she asked, unsure if she wanted to face the thought of him leaving so soon.

"Ah I don't know, pet, was thinking that this place isn't half bad. Maybe I can get myself a nice little setup like in SunnyD, stick around for a while." He answered, not really meeting her eyes.

"Spike…" she began, not really knowing what to say.

"Oh please, you thought I'd swing by to see you then ride out of sight like that big poofter?" He scoffed and Buffy fought the urge to smile. "Sorry, love; you're stuck with me just a bit longer. I'm going to find a butcher shop or something, I'm feeling peckish."

He winked at her, smirked and stole a quick kiss on her cheek before waltzing back out through the back door. Buffy watched him go with a small smile, relieved that he was staying for a while, and turned to look at the basement door pensively. She set her coffee mug in the sink and headed down the stairs to go check on Lauren.

Lauren was working the heavy bag when Buffy reached the bottom of the stairs, and Buffy sat on the last step to watch her technique. Lauren fought with all of her strength, much like Buffy, but she had a certain rhythm that spoke of a warrior. She had an iPod strapped to her bicep as she jabbed and hooked at the bag, her ear buds a neon pink color, blasting music into her ears as she focused. Buffy observed the way Lauren curved her wrist and the line in which she threw her punches as she went through the different combinations.

Lauren shifted into a one-two punch then followed up with a side kick, concentrating on making the bag move. The heavy bag was spelled not to break and would only move if extreme force was applied, thanks to one of Willow's spells. Lauren danced and bobbed, her movements coordinated yet a little wild as she kicked and punched at will. Buffy was reminded of watching Faith fight back when they'd first met, and recognized a little of her own technique.

When one of Lauren's kicks went wide and she lost her balance and fell with a grunt to the floor mat, Buffy stood and went over to help her up. Lauren accepted her hand and took off the ear buds, smoothing her ponytail and wiping the sweat from her brow. Buffy walked her through some of the punches and kicks, correcting the small errors she'd noticed until Lauren's movements were precise and perfect.

An hour later, they finally decided to call it quits when their bodies were both aching in protest and they trooped upstairs for some water. Buffy pulled out two bottles of water from the fridge and handed one to Lauren, looking at her curiously.

"What's up, you've been really quiet." She asked and Lauren fiddled with the wrapper on the bottle before she answered.

"Buffy, I've been thinking." She started and Buffy leaned her elbows on the counter behind her while she waited for Lauren to fill her in. "My parents are pretty wealthy, and that's how I'm able to go to Princeton. But the thing is, they don't get the whole Slayer thing, so they don't really know that I'm training with you.

"Being, you know, what we are basically means that we have a higher risk of dying. I mean our whole Slayer existence is based on death because we're called because the Slayer before us died. Buffy, I want to write a will, just in case."

Buffy exhaled a long breath as she studied Lauren silently. She understood the reasoning and she could hardly blame Lauren for wanting to make a will, heck it wasn't that bad of an idea. She just didn't want to think about what it meant if Lauren did fall in battle. She'd be alone again until another Slayer surfaced. Then she'd get another call and have to go train that one. What should she say to Lauren? Not to think that way? She was being realistic, like Spike had once told her, everyone had expiration dates, and just being who they were meant theirs would most likely be sooner rather than later.

Lauren met Buffy's gaze unflinchingly, and Buffy nodded in assent. "Okay, I'll see if Angel knows of any decent lawyers around here that could help." She told her and the weight in Lauren's eyes lessened marginally.

"There's something else," Lauren grasped Buffy's wrist and pulled her into the living room and over to the book shelf. Buffy watched as she pulled out two books and removed a third, smaller leather bound book from behind the two. She cradled it gently and looked back at Buffy with sad eyes, "This is my journal. I started writing in this when I met you, to keep up with everything I learned about being a Slayer. I want you to have it if something happens to me."

"Lauren, I can't-," Buffy objected.

"Buffy, please, you're more than just my mentor, you're my friend." Lauren pleaded, squeezing Buffy's shoulder. "I'm afraid once I'm gone that I'll be just another statistic, just another fallen Slayer and I don't want that to happen. My parents won't understand, and I'm trusting that you'll be there to explain that I died the way I wanted to, as a warrior."

Buffy couldn't hold Lauren's gaze any longer, she couldn't handle the plea and fear in her eyes, couldn't see that fear in someone else's eyes that she saw every day in her own. She was afraid of the same thing, except aside from her friends, the only family she had left was Dawnie. She'd already died and left Dawn alone once, she couldn't bear to do it again, so she understood again where Lauren was coming from.

"Say you'll do this for me?" Lauren asked when Buffy stayed silent.

Buffy nodded again, not trusting herself to speak and felt a tear slowly making its way down her cheek. Lauren smiled and pulled Buffy close for a hug, squeezing her tight and Buffy hugged her back, neither holding back on strength.

"Thank you," Lauren whispered and Buffy squeezed her once before letting go again and they looked at each other for another silent moment.

"You're welcome. And you'll do the same for me?" Buffy asked softly and Lauren nodded. Buffy echoed her nod and gently took the journal from Lauren to replace it in its hidden spot. She hoped it would be a long time before she removed it again.

_That night Buffy dreamed: She was in her house walking down the hallway and everything was blurry and distorted, like when she'd done that spell and found out the truth about Dawnie. She heard voices but she couldn't determine where they came from._

_She walked upstairs, calling out Lauren's name, but no one answered her. She passed the bathroom and there was blood on the wall, but she couldn't tell whose. She glanced down at her hands and her knuckles were cracked and bloody, like they'd been when she had crawled out of her grave. She crossed her arms over her chest and continued down the hall, looking for the source of the voices. When she reached Lauren's room she found that it was occupied, but she entered unnoticed. She glanced around at Lauren's posters and pictures but suddenly the room was transformed into a hospital room. She saw House and Chase standing before the bed, their voices were harsh and loud, and she walked closer to him but he didn't turn or otherwise acknowledge her. His next words finally penetrated the fog and she stared at him. "Time of death, 7:35 P.M."_

_"What? Who's dead?" Buffy asked frantically but her voice sounded faraway and he didn't answer or look at her. She turned her gaze to the bed and backed away slowly, horrified. Lauren lay prone and still upon the bed, her lips slowly turning blue and her pretty features were gruesome, her blood dried from the gashes in her chest, arms, legs and torso. She didn't move, didn't breathe and Buffy stared as Lauren's machine flat-lined, her eyes open and staring, unseeing._

_House turned to go, his face blank and empty, devoid of any emotion or concern, "Get her to the morgue, we need the bed."_

Jolting awake with a gasp, Buffy looked around frantically and down at her clenched fists, relieved to find her knuckles were smooth, the skin unbroken. She was in her own room, and her clock said it was just after 3 A.M. She pushed the covers off her legs and once she was sure they wouldn't buckle under her weight, she changed into a pair of jeans, a hoodie and her running shoes. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and slipped a stake into her sweatshirt pocket and after a moment's hesitation, padded softly down the hall to the other room.

She quietly opened Lauren's door and crept inside and over to the bed to assure herself that Lauren was alive and breathing and definitely not dead. She watched her chest rise and fall for a full 5 minutes before slipping back out and into her room. She swept her gaze around until they landed on her window and she crossed the room, pushed the pane up and climbed out. She dropped lightly to the ground below and looked up, making sure she hadn't been heard. When no lights went on, she stood and looked around.

She walked around to the front of the house but then stopped as she felt a presence. She smiled slightly in relief when she recognized the small light of a cigarette. "Spike, I know you're there."

Spike sighed as she started to walk and he fell into step beside her as they strolled down the dark empty street. "How'd you know I was there?"

"Your cigarette's are the minty brand, they smell different then the kind you used to, that and hello? Slayer." She answered and he made a face and tossed the cigarette butt into the road.

"I got bored with the kind I used to smoke, that and they cost an arm and a leg here. Have you seen what they charge for smokes now? Almost makes me miss the old days where I'd just kill the bloke and grab a pack for free." Spike got a nostalgic look on his face and Buffy wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Spike, that's gross. Not to mention wrong." She added and he shrugged. "Why were you outside my house anyway?"

"I wasn't stalking you again, if that's what you think." He stated defensively and when she raised her eyebrow at him he frowned. "Hey that's not fair; you can't use my own tricks against me! That's bloody blackmail that is!"

Buffy giggled and went back to studying her surroundings, "Okay so if you weren't stalking, what were you doing?"

"I was just checking up on you and the bird, haven't found a place yet and I thought I'd see how you two were." Spike answered half-truthfully and eyed her solemnly. "What are you doing creeping out your window in the wee hours?"

"Felt like a patrol," She replied with a shrug as she turned a corner and he scoffed. "Okay so I had a weird dream and felt like burning off steam."

"Want some help?" Spike leered suggestively and Buffy wrinkled her nose again.

"A world of no." She replied and he smirked.

"Fine, be that way. What'd you dream about?" He asked.

Buffy walked on in silence for a moment and absently fiddled with the stake in her sweatshirt pocket. "Lauren asked my help in making a will. She wants to make sure she's not forgotten if she dies." She explained quietly and he said nothing, just waited for the rest. "She thinks her parents won't understand and she asked me to tell them she died like a warrior, the way she wanted to."

"And you don't want to face the thought of another girl you've taken under your wing dying?" He finished and she nodded. "It makes sense, pet. You're Slayers, both of you. And you know that means you both have a better chance of dying young. You've died a few times yourself, yeah?" He said and she nodded again. "Think of it this way, as long as she has you, she'll be remembered."

"I know, I just don't know if I can keep doing this Spike, all the training and the apocalypses and the demons and the fighting. There's only so much a person can take before they go batty." She confided with a sigh.

"Retire then. Tell the Watcher that after Lauren you're done. Try to live a normal life and keep teaching her how to survive, but let him know that if something should happen, you want out. I'm sure he'll understand." Spike said simply.

"What if he doesn't? For the longest time it was always: Buffy see evil, go kill evil. Save the world yet again while your own personal life goes to crap. Kill your boyfriend so the rest of the world doesn't go to hell. Death is your gift, now go die so everyone else can live." Buffy ranted a little bitterly.

"What if Giles and Willow and Xander don't understand, if they just expect me to keep being the Slayer until I do die and it sticks this time?" She asked and Spike said nothing. "There's blood on my hands, Spike, blood of all the people I've watched die. Even you." She said and he stopped to look at her.

"Me?" He repeated and she nodded.

"You. You sacrificed yourself to save the world, to close the Hellmouth." She said and he continued to stare at her.

"Buffy…" He began and she flinched at the intensity in his gaze. "What you said before...before I died, did you mean that?" He asked, afraid of the answer.

Buffy didn't answer for so long Spike was afraid she wouldn't until he heard her reply, "Yes, I did."

Buffy started walking again and Spike stared after her in shock, and then hurried to catch up with two strides. "I think when it happened I said it because I thought it was something you'd want to hear but after it happened, it became true. Everyone was congratulating me and saying 'good job Buffy' when it was really you who deserved the praise. I couldn't be around them after that, and then I started to miss you and something felt like it was missing. When Andrew told me you were alive I cried for a day, but when you didn't call or come to see me, I gave up."

Spike listened in silence, not wanting to interrupt as she went on, "Dawnie enrolled in college and then I heard about Cordy so I went to pay my respects. I met Chase and then Giles told me about Lauren, and now here I am. But I did mean it, Spike."

Buffy finished her little monologue and was greeted with utter silence. She let out a cry of surprise when Spike suddenly grabbed her and pulled her close into a hug, something he'd never done before. Buffy let her head rest on his chest for just a moment and then he pulled away just as quickly as he'd grabbed her and resumed walking as if nothing had ever happened. They patrolled together in companionable silence for another hour until Buffy finally decided to head home and to bed.

"I missed you too, pet." She heard as Spike disappeared into the shadows of her yard once he'd safely delivered her back home. She glanced around for him but he was gone, so she climbed back up the tree next to her window and inside her room. She changed back into her sleep shorts and a tank top and crawled back into her comfy bed, smiling.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The next few weeks went by without incident; Buffy trained with Lauren and hung out with Spike whenever he showed up. She went to dinner with House a few times and even spent a very long evening talking to Chase about being the Slayer and all of the demons and battles she'd fought. House didn't mention the incident with Spike but she had the impression that he was biding his time, waiting for the moment to strike.

One day Buffy woke feeling rather distant and down and she took the phone off the receiver and curled up in her bed, her hands clamped over her ears and her eyes shut tightly.

"_Hey. Flower-gettin' lady. Want me to pick Dawn up from school?"_

Buffy tried to shut the image of her mother lying lifeless on the couch from her mind and turned onto her other side.

"_Mom? Mom? Mommy?"_

Throwing her covers off of her, Buffy jumped up from her bed and tried desperately to distract herself from the memories that came unbidden to her mind. She dressed and went downstairs, then glanced around for Lauren. She walked into the kitchen and spotted a note on the counter and went to pick it up.

**Buffy, had to go to class, see you tonight! –L**

Buffy set the note down again and swept her weary gaze around until they landed on her coffeemaker and she went to go brew a fresh pot.

"_My mom, she, she's not breathing," She told the operator.  
>"Is she conscious?" The operator replied.<em>

"_No. I-I-I can't, she, she's not breathing." Buffy said._

Buffy shook her head firmly and tried to focus on what she was doing as she pressed the button on the coffee maker to brew. She reached into a cabinet for a bowl and some cereal, setting them on the counter in front of her. She turned and opened the fridge to remove the milk and poured it into her bowl. She took her cereal into the living room and sat on the couch, curling her legs under her.

"_She's cold." Buffy said._

"_The body's cold?" The operator asked.  
>"No, my mom! Sh-should I make her warm?" She answered.<em>

Buffy ate her cereal and tried not to think about her mother or the operator's voice, she could hear them in her mind as if it was just yesterday. She lifted her eyes to the clock on the wall and saw that it was just after noon. She looked around the living room at the boxes of things she still had to unpack and set her half-finished cereal bowl down on the coffee table. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and stood to start on the boxes, removing the contents and setting them aside.

"_Joyce!_" _Giles cried._  
>"<em>We're not supposed to move the body!" Buffy shouted desperately and covered her mouth, her eyes wide.<em>

Buffy crossed the room to hang two pictures, but her head still felt fuzzy and unfocused. She worked in silence, hanging pictures and putting things away where they belonged, not even noticing as the hours went by.

"_Is she cold?" Dawn asked, her eyes not leaving Joyce.  
>"It's not her ... it's not her ... she's gone.<em>" _Buffy whispered behind her from the floor of the morgue._  
><em>"Where'd she go?" Dawn answered, frowning.<em>

Buffy was so lost in her thoughts and in unpacking that she didn't even hear the door open and shut as House entered and saw her setting figurines on a shelf. House crossed the room and reached for her shoulder and Buffy jumped slightly in surprise. She turned around to face him and House noticed with concern that her face was pale and dazed.

"Buffy? What's wrong?" House asked her and she pushed past him to finish unpacking silently. House frowned and pulled the picture from her hand and set it down then grasped her hand in his and pulled her to the couch. She sat down and he took the place at her side but she still didn't look at him, didn't seem to even **see** him.

"Lauren called me; she said you weren't answering the phone. Are you sick? Buffy, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." House raised his voice, trying to get through to her and she finally turned dead eyes back to him.

"Bones in a box, that's all she was. Now she's gone." Buffy said quietly and House frowned, trying to figure out what she meant.

"Who's gone Buffy?" He asked.

"Mom, she's gone." Buffy answered and House realized that Buffy was having a dissociative episode from the trauma. "She got flowers, but she didn't get a chance to see them."

"Buffy, what happened to your mother?" House pressed softly.

"They said it was an aneurysm, a complication from the tumor." Buffy slowly started to come out of her trance and House watched her closely, concerned. "House? What are you doing here?"

House smiled slightly at her and she looked around the living room, her expression bewildered as she studied all of the pictures on the wall and the knick knacks placed on shelves. "What happened?"

"You had what's called a dissociative episode, Buffy. Do you remember anything?" House asked and Buffy shook her head firmly, trying to think.

"I kept hearing the phone operator's voice, and Dawnie's. I couldn't think, I kept seeing her laying there, she was so cold." Buffy answered and House watched as she raised a hand to her hair, smoothing it.

"You found her?" House asked and she nodded.

"Yeah." Buffy said and House watched as she sat back against the couch cushions, her hand on her forehead.

"How long has it been?" He asked as he studied her for any signs that she would go back into the state he'd found her in.

"Three years, give or take." Buffy answered, and he nodded. "What made me have a dis-dis- whatever you said?"

"Dissociative episode. They happen sometimes when someone's experienced a trauma, such as finding your mother's body." House told her, his tone oddly gentle.

"Oh," Buffy blinked slowly and looked down at her lap.

"It's okay, you'll be alright now." He assured her and she rested her head back against the cushions with a sigh. "Going to see her might help." He offered uncertainly.

"Yeah, I'm sure it would, except there's no grave to go to." Buffy answered sadly. She saw his curious look and explained, "She was buried in Sunnydale, the town that fell into the sinkhole remember?"

House bowed his head and thought to himself, trying to find something to say or some way to help. He stood as an idea came to him and held a hand out for her, but she just stared at it. "Come on."

Buffy accepted his hand and followed him outside and to her car and he climbed into the driver's seat so she took the passenger's and allowed him to drive wherever they were going. She gazed out the window at the passing trees and cars as he wove in and out of traffic and straightened when he pulled the car to stop outside a cemetery.

House got out and she followed her hands in her jeans pockets. She walked behind him until he stopped at an unmarked grave. She looked at the blank headstone then at him, confused.

"Pretend this is your mother, talk to her." House directed and walked a short distance away, leaving her alone.

Buffy looked at the headstone and pictured her mother's in her mind, and the words flowed from her like a broken dam, until she could think of nothing else to say. She knelt and started to sob once she ran out of words. She heard House approach her again but he said nothing, he didn't touch her, her just let her get it all out.

Once she'd pulled herself together again, she stood up and turned to leave, not saying a word to House and he drove back to her house. They walked inside together in silence and sat again on the couch. Buffy sat beside House but turned so she was leaning against his chest and he put his cane on the table in front of him, his leg stretched out.

"Thank you." Buffy told him softly but he didn't reply. "When it happened, I don't think I really had time to grieve. I had to focus on work and then the role of care-taker fell on me."

"That's the way it is sometimes, but your sis is in college right?" House asked and she nodded. "Then obviously you did a good job. She could've flunked out or turned into a demon child."

Buffy laughed at that and it felt good, it felt like something she was able to do without guilt. "That's true."

"What made you come to New Jersey really?" House asked and Buffy shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Angel told me about Chase's cousin and I knew her in school, when I went to see her I guess I was feeling at loose ends. I met Chase and we started talking, he told me about Plainsboro and I wanted a change of scenery you know?" Buffy told him and he nodded once.

"Giles, he's someone I knew from Sunnydale, he told me that Lauren wanted to join our Council and I agreed to come out here and train her." Buffy finished and House said nothing for a moment.

"Are you still at loose ends?" He asked and she went quiet, thinking it over. Accepting that she didn't know how to answer that, he decided to watch television and reached for the remote. He clicked it on and searched until he found the soap he was missing by being there.

When Lauren had called him at his office, she'd interrupted a DDX but he'd let his irritation go when he heard the worry in her voice. Lauren explained the problem and House had given his fellows tasks to do and had left after that. He was still trying to put the pieces together about Buffy and her odd friends but that was forgotten in the moment out of concern. He didn't really care if he was missing his soaps, or that Cuddy would be spitting mad that he'd ducked out of doing Clinic duty yet again, he really didn't care about anything else but that Buffy was okay.

A few hours later, Lauren closed the front door and called out for Buffy and House, however neither answered. She set her bag down and started for the stairs but stopped when she heard the television in the living room. She walked into the room and stopped when she saw House and Buffy asleep on the couch, the television still on.

Lauren smiled and crept closer, then draped a blanket over them and shut the television off, watched them for another moment then retired to her room for the night.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Groaning softly as he woke, House felt his neck crack a little from the odd angle and he opened his eyes blearily to find out where he was exactly. The last thing he remembered was going to see Buffy and taking her to the cemetery. He shifted and Buffy moaned quietly in her sleep and he looked down to see that she was half-turned on one side with her head against his chest. He didn't know how to get up and leave without waking her so he glanced around for the clock to find out what time it was.

The clock said it was around 7 A.M. and he felt around for his beeper and phone, discovering that he had 4 missed calls and just as many pages. He gingerly sat up and Buffy grunted as she was roused from her slumber. He moved his legs to get feeling back in them and once she'd sat up enough for him to move, he got to his feet. Buffy laid back in his vacated spot and yawned, rubbing her eyes and blinking at him slowly.

"Do you have to go?" She asked groggily and he nodded.

"I have to go make sure the kids didn't blow up the hospital while I was gone." House replied as he reached for his cane. He stopped as an idea came to him and he looked back at her thoughtfully.

"What?" Buffy asked off his look.

"Can you type?" House questioned and she gave him a bewildered look but nodded yes. "Can you file?" House asked and she nodded again. "Good. Be at my office by noon, you start today."

House started for the door and Buffy sat up, glanced around, and then followed. "Start what? What's going on?"

"I'll explain later, just be there." House answered cryptically then left. Buffy watched the front door close behind him and stared at it for several minutes until her brain clicked into gear. Her stomach rumbled and she wandered toward the kitchen for some breakfast, yawning.

At the same time she entered the kitchen, Lauren came in from downstairs clad in shorts and a training bra, her hair pulled back and sweating from her workout. "Morning Buffy!" Lauren said brightly and Buffy mumbled a reply.

"Are you okay today? I called you yesterday but the phone was off the hook. I called House and he stopped answering his phone too and when I got home you guys were fast asleep." Lauren rambled as she reached into the fridge for bottled water and unscrewed the cap.

"Yeah, I'm fine. He came over and we fell asleep watching TV." Buffy replied, not wanting to worry Lauren about her little episode. She'd call Giles or Willow and talk to them about it but she didn't want to mention it to Lauren right then. She was still trying to figure out what House had in mind but when she finished her cereal she realized that she needed to change.

Buffy placed her bowl in the sink and went upstairs to shower and get ready. He'd told her to be there by noon but she had errands to run before hand. Lestat needed more kitty litter and food, and she still needed to get some more groceries.

Lauren followed her upstairs and perched on the counter top in the bathroom while she showered, talking to Buffy about school and everything that she'd been learning. That had become their daily routine when they'd moved in and Buffy enjoyed hearing about Lauren's day. Being around Lauren was almost like having Dawn or Willow there, and Buffy missed them both, missed a lot of things.

"So where are you off to today?" Lauren asked as she shadowed Buffy into her room and sprawled across her bed, watching as Buffy looked through her closet.

"I have some errands to run and House told me to be at his office by noon, but wouldn't explain why." Buffy replied. Lauren shrugged and Buffy repeated what House had asked her and Lauren looked just as puzzled.

"Weird," Lauren commented then nodded as Buffy took out a cute sundress and heels. The dress was fun and pretty, had been a gift from Dawn in fact and the heels were Buffy's favorite. Lauren slipped out while Buffy changed and went into her own room to gather her things. She had an exam to study for and would be spending all day at the library, she'd informed Buffy.

Once she was ready, Buffy grabbed her purse and she and Lauren left together, because Buffy was dropping Lauren off at the library on the way to the store. Lauren waved at Buffy as she disappeared and Buffy headed off to the store for groceries, still analyzing what House's new angle was.

House reclined in his desk chair as he read through a file in his hands, his stereo playing music in the background. Cuddy had ordered him to do extra clinic duty for skipping out yesterday but he of course had no intentions on doing so. He was waiting for a certain blonde to arrive so he could pitch his newest idea on her, positive she'd accept.

Not a moment later, Buffy opened House's office door and stepped inside, regarding him with a curious smile. He studied her dress and approved with a swift nod toward his yellow chair which she took.

"Why did you quit the Double-meat Palace?" He asked and she stared at him in shock.

"How did you-," She began and her expression changed from puzzled to amused as she realized how he knew. "Should I be surprised that you managed to get my employment record?"

House smiled as he tapped his fingertips on said record, "If you are then clearly you don't know me very well yet." Buffy shook her head and he went on, "You also worked as a guidance counselor."

Buffy nodded and he sat forward in his chair to look at her, "Perfect, you're hired." House spun in his chair as if to dismiss her and she sputtered in confusion.

"Okay, I'm so confused. Hired? For what?" Buffy pressed and he glanced back at her to see that she was no longer sitting but stood with her hands on her hips.

"Right, I should explain for the rest of the class. I need help." House stated flatly.

"The first step is admitting it," Buffy quipped and House fought a smile at her wit. This was why he was so intrigued by her; she never failed to put him in his place.

"Cute. For each case I take, I'm required to write a report on the diagnostic process, medicines I order, tests, you name it. Cuddy has been...ah...insistent on them being down lately and that, my dear, is where you come in." House explained and Buffy watched him, the wheels turning in her head as she processed.

"Let me get this straight," She said slowly as she walked closer to his desk. "You want me to become your new secretary so Cuddy won't cancel your soaps?" She guessed and he smiled. "Why me, then?"

"Why not?" House countered and she looked at him for a moment, calculating.

"I mean why not get Chase or Cameron to do it?" Buffy asked, still a little confused. House glanced down at his beeper as it went off then sighed. He got to his feet and held out a file for her to take. His steady gaze challenged her to accept it and she did, not tearing her own from his.

"Because I don't want them to do it. I need them to do what they do best, question every order I make and offer the wrong ideas until I come up with the right one." House replied as he left. Buffy looked from his door to the file then went to the only person who could make sense of this bizarre situation.

Wilson glanced up as his door was knocked on, then opened and smiled at Buffy as she entered. "Buffy, please sit down." He offered, gesturing to his couch and she sat, but when she fidgeted, he leaned forward in his chair. "What can I help you with?"

"House." Buffy replied and he winced in expectation of a rant about his friend. When once didn't come, he waved a hand that indicated she should explain.

"He gave me a job, I'm still trying to determine why." She told him and when his eyebrows furrowed, she filled him in on the impromptu interview she'd just had. "Is he for real?" she finished.

Wilson turned over the information in his mind, trying to figure out what House was playing at and he made a face that said he wasn't sure. "I'll talk to him, but I'm assuming he was." He answered and stood to go find House, and she got to her feet too. "My advice is to go see Dr. Cuddy; she might be able to tell you what to do, if you really are going to be employed here." Wilson suggested and Buffy worried her lip, tucking the file she held under her arm.

"And if it's a ploy to get on her nerves?" She asked and he tilted his head as he considered that very real possibility. He opened the door to his office and they both exited, walking side by side down the hall to the elevator.

"Then you should still go see her, I'll find him and see what the deal is." He assured her and they went their separate ways, him to House's current patient and her to find Cuddy's office.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Wilson found House in one of the examination rooms watching one of his soap operas. Wilson entered and shut the door behind him then crossed his arms and faced House. House didn't spare him a glance, didn't have to, he knew his friend was giving him the look he always reserved for when House managed to annoy him.

"You gave her a job?" Wilson asked and House smiled slightly. He'd known Buffy would have gone to Wilson to figure out his newest game. He doubted either one understood his reasoning, as evidenced by Wilson's very presence.

"Yes." He replied simply and Wilson continued to stare at him until he went on, "Cuddy's being more insistent than usual, it's totally killing my fun."

"So this is because you want Cuddy off your back about the reports?" Wilson assessed and House lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

"Why else?" He answered though he actually had quite a few reasons. The one he was giving was only an insignificant part of it, not that he would actually explain all of his reasons. He knew Wilson enough to know that he wouldn't take that answer and be satisfied, no he'd press and analyze until he uncovered most of the truth.

"She thinks it's a ploy to get on Cuddy's nerves, hiring a secretary to do your paperwork." Wilson suggested, trying to tune out the soap opera.

"Why didn't I think of that?" House mused dryly. He lifted the remote and turned up the volume on the TV. When it wouldn't go any higher, he frowned and looked back at Wilson. "You're still here?"

"House, why did you really give her a job?" Wilson sighed. "If it was about the reports, you could have asked Chase or Cameron."

"That's what she said, only in a higher pitch." House deflected and leaned back on the exam table to ignore his friend. "Now go away before Mommy finds my hiding place and makes me treat all the sick people."

"It's only a hiding place if she doesn't already know where it is," Wilson scoffed but turned to leave. He hesitated with his hand on the knob before he turned back to face House. "That's not the reason, you're still trying to figure her out, and if she's working for you it'll be easier."

House smiled but kept watching his soap, acknowledging the truth in that. Again, that was a part of the picture, but not all of it. "I wouldn't manipulate the system that way," he denied and Wilson scoffed.

"Yes you would, why don't you just ask her what she's not telling you?" He asked but House rolled his eyes.

"Because she says she's not ready to tell me." He replied and Wilson rested his hands on his hips as he thought. He knew House; those two reasons weren't the only thing motivating him to hire Buffy.

"You're never patient; I can't imagine why you would be now." Wilson retorted and House had to agree with that assessment. "Unless you really do like her..."

"Yeah but she doesn't know that. Where is my newest minion anyhow?" House asked, turning the set off once the show ended and getting to his feet.

"I told her to go talk to Cuddy, make sure this job thing is real." Wilson answered as they both exited the exam room and House walked up to the clinic desk. He browsed through the files until one caught his eye and Wilson was a little uneasy at the gleam he saw.

"Excellent, that's exactly where I need to go. Don't you have a dying patient to go comfort?" House asked as he snatched a lollipop from the bowl on the desk and limped away. Wilson watched him go then sighed and shook his head before walking in the opposite direction. House waited till he was out of sight before turning around and grabbing another lollipop and he slipped it into his pocket. He caught the nurses' eye and scowled at her.

"Thanks for blowing my hiding place," he told her but she simply smiled and walked away. _I'm losing my touch._ He thought as he took off the wrapper and popped the lollipop into his mouth and set off for Cuddy's office to find his wayward employee. _Dratted woman._

Buffy looked up as the door to Cuddy's office was forcefully pushed open and House walked in, his gaze flickered over her and zeroed in on Cuddy. Buffy was a little wary about the look in his eye but Cuddy sighed and looked at House like he was a willful child.

"Are you done grilling my secretary or can I steal her back now?" He asked as he leaned against his cane.

"So you did hire her then?" Cuddy clarified and Buffy's eyebrows rose.

"I thought you'd be pleased, you've been trying to get me to do the reports for months," House answered easily.

"I am, but I know when you're trying to play an angle House," Cuddy responded and he gave her an innocent smile.

"I would never do that," He answered and she scoffed in much the same way Wilson had. Buffy snickered behind him and he sent her a wink then turned his focus back to Cuddy.

"The hospital can't afford a personal secretary, House," Cuddy sighed and looked at Buffy apologetically.

"The hospital can't afford a few things, yet having her on my team is beneficial to everyone involved." House said and both females looked at him speculatively. "She mentioned the other day that she's been at loose ends, having a part-time job here will help her out, and I'm confident that she'll handle the administrative aspects perfectly.

"My reports get done, which makes you happy, I get out of doing them which makes me happy, and she gets a reason for being here, everybody wins." House concluded and watched Cuddy as she thought it over. "If you hire her, I'll do the clinic hours," He offered as extra incentive.

"No you won't," Cuddy retorted but then she appraised Buffy. "Then again, your new secretary would be able to remind you and keep me informed of whatever asinine tests you want to order on patients."

House grinned in triumph, his eyes sparkling as she consented to his plan. "She's hired then." Cuddy said finally and Buffy sat back against the couch, trying to catch her breath.

"Wonderful, now back to business," House said in satisfaction. "The new patient, I want in."

"John Henry Giles, are you a fan?" She asked and Buffy watched the verbal battle.

"He's a musician?" House asked with feigned surprise. "That paralysis thing, guy can't walk for two years and nobody knows why, that seems mildly interesting."

"Forget his paralysis." Cuddy said, seeing where he was going with this and trying to put a stop to it.

"Tell that to the rest of his bowling team." House said dryly.

"As far as this hospital is concerned, this is a simple case of low-bar pneumonia. Boring." Cuddy answered.

"But that 'not walking' thing, which could turn into something serious!" House replied with flair of drama and Buffy laughed softly.

"Marty Hamilton is his primary physician out in California. He's dealing with the paralysis." Cuddy said, glancing at the papers on her desk.

"Know all about it. Multiple treatments, multiple surgeries. Making real progress. Fixed everything but the legs." House summarized.

"Dr. Hamilton already called and asked for your team. And by team, I don't mean you." Cuddy tried again and all three stood to leave her office, Buffy following like a silent shadow.

"Like I always say, there's no 'I' in "team". There is a 'me', though, if you jumble it up." House replied as they walked into the hallway. Cuddy kept going, her heels clacking on the linoleum floor. Buffy walked behind both of them, the file he'd handed her in her hands as she listened.

"Foreman did his residency with Hamilton." Cuddy informed House.

"I know. I did accidentally glance at his resume before I hired him," House replied.

"He wants someone he can trust," She answered.

"He must have spoken to Foreman's parole officer." House said and Buffy rolled her eyes from behind him.

"Someone who will stick to the pneumonia. John Henry's on an experimental protocol for the paralysis." Cuddy said firmly and they stopped walking to face each other.

"I respect that. I'm not going to get in his way." House lied as he met her stare for stare.

"It's Foreman's case." She said with a sigh and turned to look at Buffy, "Welcome to Princeton Plainsboro, and good luck." She said and tossed one last look at House before she walked away.

House kept walking and Buffy fell into step beside him as they headed for the elevator to his office. "Its pneumonia, he can handle it. Guy's already paralyzed, how badly can he screw it up?" He commented rhetorically and she gave him a ghost of a smile.

"So I get to sit in on the differentials now?" She asked and he nodded, then reached out and pressed the button for the elevator with his cane. He looked up and cleared his throat while she leaned against the wall, waiting.

"Yes, but the position of giving stupid ideas goes to my fellows, your main objective is the reports and looking pretty at my desk," House commented and Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"So you want me to dress ultra-slutty and do paperwork?" She asked and his eyes danced wickedly with humor.

"Of course, why else would I ask you and not Cameron?" He answered as the elevator reached their floor and they stepped inside.

"Excellent question, why did you?" She asked him as she pressed the button for his floor and looked back at him. He tossed a few pills in his mouth and dry swallowed them before answering.

"Well I like the way your legs look in a skirt better than Cameron's, and she has an attraction to damaged people. Chase is an idiot and I can't understand half of what he says and Foreman's really not my type." He replied and she laughed.

"You're evil," she said, still laughing.

"Diabolically, but am I wrong?" He asked and she laughed again.

In House's office, Cameron looked through some medical books, as did Chase. House fooled with his cane while Buffy made some notes on the file she was reading, trying to decipher House's writing. Foreman stood at the white board with a marker, ready to go over the case.

"So, what are his stats?" Foreman asked the group. Chase glanced at the chart and House continued to observe as Buffy wrote and read, her lips moving as she skimmed the papers.

"Staying in the 90s on the nasal canula." Chase replied.

"Coughing up much sputum?" Foreman asked and Buffy glanced up, wrinkling her nose in distaste. She didn't understand half of what was in the files but she knew that word. "Ok, gross much?" she commented and the corners of House's lips twitched as he fought a smile.

"Almost none, he seems to be stabilized." Cameron replied, ignoring Buffy.

"Dr. House, is there anything back from Micro?" Foreman asked House.

"Not yet. You gonna fire me?" He answered mildly and Buffy rubbed the tip of her nose to hide a smile that he saw anyway.

"You can make up for it by washing my car." Foreman answered.

"Oh, this is fun." House answered with a smile and Chase smiled and ducked his head to go back to perusing his book.

"Let's keep him on the broad-spectrum antibiotics, and since he's displaying septic physiology, draw blood for adrenal and thyroid function." Foreman ordered and Cameron and Chase stood up, but House's rested his feet on the table, blocking their path.

"How about the paralysis?" House asked and Buffy studied him from her lowered lashes as he idly waited for a reply.

"We're sticking to the pneumonia." Foreman answered.

"Well, you certainly are, boss. Like a wet tongue sticks to dry ice." House replied and Chase and Cameron sat back down.

"The paralysis has already been diagnosed by Dr. Hamilton. It's ALS." Foreman said with a sigh.

"Lou Gehrig's disease. It's a lovely diagnosis. They make movies about it. No tests, no treatment. It's a disease of exclusion–,"

"- because Hamilton has excluded everything else." Foreman finished House's sentence.

"I haven't." He got up and snatched the board marker from Foreman, then turned back to the team- and Buffy. "What else could it be?"

"Guillain-Barre, which would be reversible." Chase offered.

"Excellent." House started to write, but Foreman took the marker away from him.

"No, the progression of the paralysis would be symmetric. This wasn't." Foreman denied.

"Transverse myelitis," Cameron suggested next.

"Hamilton tested for it. Negative. And he was negative for masses, and AVM, and–" Foreman answered.

"Antibodies could be attacking the nerve. Multifocal motoneuropathy," Chase replied thoughtfully.

"Uncommon, but it fits. It's also treatable. Did Hamilton try putting the guy on IVIG?" House asked with a nod.

"No, because the MRI showed –." Foreman began but House interrupted him.

"Well, let's do an MRI of our own." Chase and Cameron stood up again; ready to go order an MRI.

"Guys? It's my case." Sharing a look, they sat down again. "ALS fits. It even predicts the pneumonia. The paralysis is progressive."

"It's a death sentence." House commented. Buffy looked at him and cocked her head to one side, considering.

"That doesn't make it wrong." Foreman answered.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

In John Henry's room the stereo system played jazz in the background while Foreman took blood samples. John turns the music off with a remote and turned his attention to Foreman.

"So, you think the breathing stuff is connected to my ALS?" John asked.

"It makes sense." Foreman answered.

"So, it's just gonna get worse, huh?" John replied.

"Well, Dr. Hamilton –," Foreman began.

"Great guy. Really smart doctor, but his treatment obviously isn't working. Do you think I'm gonna die here, or you think I'm gonna get to go back home first?" John interrupted and Foreman sighed slightly.

"An MRI would give us a better idea –," Foreman tried again.

"An MRI? Come on. For pneumonia?" John asked, confused.

"Well, Dr. House thinks we should test for –," Foreman said and was again interrupted.

"House? Yeah, I heard about him. Obsessive son-of-a-bitch?" John asked.

"That's him." Foreman chuckled at the apt description.

"So, who do you think is right? Hamilton or House?" John pressed.

"They're both excellent physicians." Foreman answered a little uncertainly.

"Come on. One of 'em says ALS, the other one says not ALS… you gotta pick one, son." John said and Foreman sighed.

"Everything points to ALS." Foreman agreed.

"Then no MRI. And I want one of them papers that say I, I don't want nothing done if something goes bad." John stated with finality.

"A DNR? Mr. Giles, you don't want to rush things –," Foreman started, a little surprised.

"It's been two years, I ain't rushing. I wanna sign one. Now, while my arm still works." John said decisively.

House was listening to a record with headphones, conducting with his arm, while lying on the floor of his office, his feet propped up on a chair. Buffy watched from the yellow chair where she was rearranging her notes and she glanced up when she heard Foreman walk in.

"He signed a DNR." Foreman said to House and Buffy looked over at House to see him take off his headphones.

"He rhymes with dinner?" House asked, though he'd heard what Foreman said.

"He signed a DNR." Foreman repeated.

"Oh. That makes more sense. You tell him it might not be ALS?" House asked from his spot on the floor.

"No." Foreman answered.

"Well, no wonder he signed. Who wouldn't?" House replied.

"I started him on IV steroids and ancinthroid." Foreman told him and House's eyebrow rose.

"Great. If it was my case, I'd be adding a little IVIG to the mix." House suggested and Foreman stared at him in puzzlement.

"For his pneumonia?" He asked.

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it." House answered easily but neither missed the gleam in his eye that said there was more to it.

"He doesn't want anything done. No treatment." Foreman elaborated.

"DNR means "do not resuscitate", not "do not treat". You do nothing, it doesn't matter which one of us is right." House put his headphones back on. "And hang on to that DNR. That signature could be worth a lot of money real soon."

With a sigh, Foreman left again and Buffy went back to her papers and House to his conducting. Outside in the hallway, Buffy heard Foreman on his cell phone, "This is Dr. Foreman. What's Mr. Giles's status? Okay, increase the steroids to 100mg every 12 hours, and, ah, start him on IVIG. Yeah, I'm sure. One gram per minute."

Buffy stood and went over to House who just grinned at her and tried to look up her skirt. She huffed and knelt in front of him, "You have clinic duty House." She told him but he kept conducting, pretending he didn't hear her. She sighed and stood again, then walked over and unplugged the record player. House scowled and sat up to glare at her as she dropped the cord and walked closer to him.

She knelt again and repeated her statement and he grumbled but got to his feet. She handed him his cane without another word and slipped an arm through his as they walked out of his office and toward the clinic.

When they reached the Clinic, a nurse handed House a file and Buffy followed him into the Exam room. She perched on the stool to watch and House cleared his throat. The patient, Willie looked at Buffy nervously.

"Who's she?" He asked.

"She's my baby-sitter, following me to make sure I play nice with the other children." House responded and Willie looked away from Buffy and back to House. "What seems to be the problem?"

"My nature isn't what it used to be. The little man has lost some bounce in his step." Willie told him and House attempted a sympathetic look. "He needs to crank it up, have himself some fun this weekend." Willie stated confidentially. "He wants the blue pills."

Buffy's eyes widened as she realized what he was talking about. "Oh. My. God." She breathed and bolted for the door. House fought a laugh and turned back to Willie, "You're talking about your penis in the third person." He said mildly.

"Me and him, two people." Willie answered.

"Separate vacations? That'd be a drag for one of you. I don't think you need the pills. I think you have a conflict of medications. You need to up your insulin to 'chocolate chip ice cream' levels." House replied, and Willie looked at him in confusion.

"Insulin?"

"Yeah, you remember. That's the stuff you take for the diabetes that you forgot to tell the nurse about. Your hands. No hair, which means nerve damage. And your shoes look about two sizes too small which mean you've lost sensation in your feet. And then there are your pants." House went on, giving another dramatic sigh.

"My pants tell you I have diabetes?" Willie asked.

"No, they tell me you're an idiot. Powdered sugar on the right pant leg. Based on the two napkins in your right pocket, I'm willing to bet it's not your first donut of the day." House answered. House's beeper went off and he looked down at it, 'Code Blue – John Henry Giles – Rm. 324.' He read and he gave Willie a prescription.

"You're giving me the pills?" Willie asked, reading the prescription.

"Sure, why not? If you've got heart disease from ignoring the diabetes they'll kill you. Otherwise, you two have a fun weekend." House left as Willie looked at the prescription skeptically.

House found Buffy in the hallway waiting for him and he smiled at her when he approached. "Serves you right for badgering me about the clinic." He told her and she stuck her tongue out childishly at him. With one step he was right up in her face, only inches away and he smiled down at her, his eyes dancing with something she couldn't identify.

"I wouldn't keep that in my mouth either," He said candidly and his eyes dropped to her mouth, "Then again maybe I would." He said softly and Buffy found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from his. When he abruptly walked away instead of kissing her, she stared after him, disoriented.

"Come on, I have to go stop my patient from dying," House told her and she hurried to follow.

"Didn't he sign a DNR?" She asked, still a little woozy from the close contact.

"Of course," House answered as they came to the elevator. "Do you really expect me to listen?"

In John's room, Chase listened to John's breathing with a stethoscope; Cameron walked in behind them.

"0-2 stats are dropping." Chase told her.

"Breath sounds?" Cameron asked Chase.

"Junky." Chase replied.

"Mucus plug?" Cameron asked.

"No, it's our mistake. He's sludging from the IVIG. Blood can't get through to his lungs." Foreman said as he came into the room, agitated.

"Start Heparin. 500ccs, IV push." Cameron suggested.

"He won't last long enough for it to work. We've got to intubate him, stat." Chase said and Cameron started to bring over the equipment.

"We can't! He's DNR." Foreman said, raising his voice to be heard over the chaos.

"What?" Cameron, Chase, and Foreman are left standing around his bed, unsure what to do.

House entered John's room with Buffy right behind him to see Chase standing by the door, Foreman sitting by the bed, and Cameron standing by the foot of the bed.

"His stats are in the 70s. How long has he been like this?" House asked them and they turned to look at him.

"10 minutes." Chase replied.

"Well, why aren't you doing –," House began and took a step closer.

"The IVIG put him into respiratory failure." Foreman informed House.

"You put him on the IVIG?" House asked, turning his head to look at him.

"We did this." Foreman stated.

"So undo it! Chase!" House answered, raising his voice.

"It's too late! We killed him." Foreman argued.

"Nobody killed him! He's not dead! Chase, intubate him!" House ordered and Chase hesitated.

"He's DNR." Chase said and House looked at them, and then shoves his cane at Chase as he started to intubate John himself.

"What are you doing? You can't do this!" Foreman protested, watching the scene while Chase and Cameron watched. Buffy observed, unnoticed, in the far corner of the room as House intubated John.

"Bag." House ordered, ignoring Foreman.

"You can't do this!" Foreman said again and House ignored him again, "Bag!" He grabbed the bag himself and started to ventilate. John's manager, Cora, walked in and House looked at her, still ventilating. "He had a bad reaction to some medicine we gave him."

"What did you just do?" Cora asked him, watching with a stricken look.

"He saved his life." Buffy said from behind her softly and Cora's and House's gaze flicked over in her direction and then back to John.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Cameron, Chase, House and Foreman talked in the hallway as House leaned against his cane, thinking. Cora was seated at John's bedside and Buffy had disappeared.

"He's stable on the ventilator, oxygenating well." Chase informed them.

"The IVIG made him worse, which means multifocal motoneuropathy was the wrong diagnosis. So, what's really wrong with him?" House mused aloud but Foreman let out a disgusted sigh.

"What's wrong with you?" Foreman demanded at House.

"Everyone knows what's wrong with me. What's wrong with him is much more interesting." House deflected.

"You tubed him when he specifically ordered not to be tubed! He has a legal paper saying just that." Foreman argued heatedly.

"To intubate or not to intubate, that is the big ethical question. Actually, I was hoping we could avoid it, maybe just practice some medicine." House retorted.

"There is no question. It's the patient's decision–," Foreman began.

"-if the patient is competent to make it, if his thyroid numbers aren't making him depressed." House finished Foreman's thought.

"No way do you believe that caused it." Foreman denied, looking at House skeptically.

"His thyroid levels were a little–," Cameron spoke up but Foreman cut her off.

"Don't defend him."

Ignoring them both, House went on speaking, "Why did he sign that DNR? Because he didn't want a slow and painful death from ALS. What was happening to him had nothing to do with his ALS."

"Exactly! It's the IVIG, you screwed up! He's going to die because you screwed up!" Foreman exclaimed.

"Technically, your case. You screwed up. Is that what this is about? Looking bad in front of your old boss?" House asked dryly.

"You assaulted him." Foreman said quietly.

"Fine. I'll never do it again, are you happy now Dad?" House sighed.

"Yes you will," Foreman replied.

"All the more reason why this debate is pointless." House answered and Foreman shook his head and walked away. House turned back to his remaining fellows and started for his office, Chase and Cameron following behind.

"His lungs are worse. Any theories?" House prompted but Cameron looked behind her to see where Foreman went. "Oh, I'm sure he just went to the little boys' room. Come on, people."

"Uh, vasculitis?" Chase suggested after a moment.

"Hitting both lungs?" House objected.

"It could be Wegener's granulomatosis." Cameron offered next and they all stopped when a woman approached.

"Dr. House?" She asked and House looked at her in surprise.

"Cuddy sent me a stripper again? Ah, love that woman, she's just so thoughtful." House answered and the woman smirked.

"Sorry." She handed House a paper and left again. Not even bothering to look at it, House handed the paper to Cameron.

"There are case reports of Wegener's hitting both the legs and the spine." Chase continued while Cameron scanned the paper.

"It's not great, but it's better than ALS. At least it's treatable." House replied, nodding once.

"This a restraining order saying that you're not allowed within 50 feet of John Henry Giles, and they've asked the DA to file criminal charges for battery." Cameron stated and there was a moment of silence while Chase and Cameron looked at each other then at House.

"Cameron, test the blood for C-ANKA." House ordered her.

"These are criminal charges, House; they aren't going to let you take blood to make more tests." She objected, lifting the paper to show him.

"He has blood left in the lab; just add on the C-ANKA." House replied and looked at Chase. "Does Foreman still have you doing bronchioscopic suctioning for the pneumonia?"

"Every four hours," Chase answered.

"Good, while you're in his lungs, grab a biopsy to confirm Wegener's. Also, move the patient to the second floor ICU." House said and Chase blinked slowly in confusion.

"Why?" He asked.

"It's right above the clinic. I'm pretty sure it's 50 feet in any direction. It's nice having a court order saying you don't have to work clinic duty." House answered and went into his office and shut the door behind him.

Buffy glanced up from House's desk where she was typing up her notes on the report and watched him sprawl in his yellow chair, rubbing his leg absently.

"Do you have a problem with what I did too?" He asked her gruffly and she thought it over.

"I'll get back to you." She answered finally and he cracked a smile.

"Had any more episodes?" House asked and she shook her head no. "Seeing a therapist helps or so I've heard. Personally, I think it's a bunch of crap."

"You think psychology is crap or just the seeing a therapist part?" Buffy asked.

"Hmm tough one, I'm going to say C, both." House replied and swallowed a couple of Vicodin.

"Maybe, anyway I'm not going there." She answered.

"Why not?" He asked, studying her.

"Go and talk to a complete stranger about my personal life? I've already been locked up once, not into repeat performances thanks." She said and he steeped his fingertips, watching her closely.

"About that..." He began and she aimed a sharp glare at him.

"You already knew about that didn't you?" She accused and he smiled in reply. She sighed and went back to typing. "Go ahead; ask whatever it is I know you want to ask."

"Did you really see vampires?" He asked curtly and her fingers froze over the keyboard, her brain going slack in surprise.

"I plead the fifth." She evaded once her mind kicked back into gear.

"Why claim to see vampires and demons only to recant two weeks later?" He asked her, not missing the way she'd hesitated.

"I was a teenager; it's one of those things." She answered with a half shrug.

"Seeing vampires and burning down your school gym is just 'one of those things'?" House pressed, not buying a word of it.

"My parents were fighting; I wanted their attention to shift to something else. I didn't expect them to admit me to a psych ward." She said, giving him a half-truth instead of a fabricated lie. "When I couldn't handle being in there, I said it was nothing and they let me out."

"Obviously your brilliant plan failed because they still got divorced." House commented and she paused again to glare at him.

"Are you always an ass?" She said.

"Usually, haven't you noticed that before now?" He returned mildly and she made a face at him.

House watched her as she went back to typing, her bottom lip between her teeth as she studied the screen, her hair tucked behind one ear. She looked almost ethereal in the soft light of his computer screen, he was almost afraid to touch her.

"What would you have done?" He asked her and she shifted her gaze from the screen to meet his.

"About what?" She replied.

"Say someone you know wants a DNR because they're sick, would you disobey it to save their life or allow them to die?" He asked her and her head cocked to one side as she considered his question.

"Hmm, I don't know. I've got more experience with saving people's lives when they weren't aware of it, not when they asked me not to." She said finally and his eyes narrowed at her answer.

"Why do I think there's more than a grain of truth in that?" He commented and a ghost of a smile flashed across her face. "Okay, another scenario, same question. When Faith was in a coma, the doctors tell you that she had a DNR, would you honor it?"

Buffy forgot her reports entirely to stare at him, her breath catching in her throat. "How did you know about Faith's coma?"

House raised an eyebrow as if to remind her who exactly she was talking to but didn't say anything, waiting for her reply. She thought it over, picturing Faith lying still and pale in her hospital bed. The doctors had said there was a chance she wouldn't wake but she had. What would she have done?

"Faith and I weren't always close, she fell in with a bad crowd and when I tried to help her, we fought. She fell off a balcony and landed on a truck that was passing by. The doctors claimed she wouldn't wake, that her coma might be permanent." Buffy said quietly, reliving the memories and the battle.

"Pretty lively coma," House commented dryly and she smiled a little.

"Yeah well they were wrong. If she'd had a DNR I probably would have honored it. She and I are…" Buffy searched for the right word. "Special, and back then even though she wasn't the most approachable person and tried to kill me and my friends on more than one occasion, I think I would have respected her wishes."

"How'd you end up admitted the same night for blood loss, just a few rooms over?" House asked and she fought surprise again before she remembered that he'd been her doctor which meant that had been in her medical records.

"I got bit by an angry puppy." She lied and went back to her reports. He scoffed and leaned his head back until his phone rang. He looked over at her as she answered, and smiled at the uncertain expression on her face about answering his phone. She spoke into the receiver for a moment and then hung up.

"That was Cuddy, she wants to see you." She told him and he got to his feet, twirling his cane in a circle.

"Very nice, I'll grade you an A on answering the phones," He said as he walked over to her, in no rush to find out what Cuddy want. No doubt it was to lecture him about disobeying the DNR.

"Why thank you, boss." Buffy smiled at him and turned the chair to face him as he came closer. "What about the rest of the exam?" She asked, batting her lashes.

House gave her a thorough once over and smiled, "Hmm how about a B+?" He answered and she scrunched her nose in disappointment.

"Only a B+?" She asked and got to her feet, taking the one step that would bring her into his space. She let her gaze roam over his unshaved face to his half-smile, then brought her eyes up to meet and hold his own as he gave her the same treatment.

"You haven't finished the reports yet," he said in a gruff whisper and she stuck her lower lip out in a pout. His eyes fixed on that lip and he almost leaned down and kissed her but his beeper went off.

"Back to the real world, doctor." She said and she let her hand rest on his arm, just above the elbow. He smiled and walked away, breaking the intense mood and he felt a small grin of triumph when she let out a shaky breath behind him. Whistling under his breath, he went off to find Cuddy, in a better mood now that he'd gotten some idea into the Buffy mystery and that he didn't have to do Clinic duty.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

In the hallway outside the clinic, Cuddy was speaking to a couple of patients and House stopped at the doorway.

"Dr. Cuddy!" House yelled and she flashed him an annoyed look and gave the patients she was talking to an apologetic smile.

"You paged me?" House yelled again after she'd excuse herself from her conversation and walked toward him.

"Why are you yelling?" Cuddy asked him.

"The plaintiff's bed is behind that wall. This means that I can't, you know, come any closer." House answered once she reached him.

"That's right over the clinic. Very cute." She sighed and he smiled.

"Can we get the lecture over with, because I've got a, actually, I've got nothing to do. Take your time." House said casually.

"Do you need a lawyer?" Cuddy asked.

"You don't have a problem with what I did?" House redirected, observing her closely in his surprise.

"When I hired you, I knew you were insane. I will continue to try and stop you from doing insane things, but once they're done…. Trying to convince an insane person not to do insane things is, in itself, insane, so when I hired you I also set aside $50,000 a year for legal expenses. So far you've come in under budget." Cuddy replied.

"Great. Any chance you could help me run some tests?" House asked and she sighed.

"Dr. Foreman called Dr. Hamilton. He's flying in from L.A." Cuddy informed him.

"And? You're the Dean of Medicine, you can talk to him."

"Dr. Hamilton is flying in as a friend of John Henry's to pull the plug." She said and he paused.

"Yeah. I need a lawyer."

"Your Honor, on behalf of Gregory House, we have convened an emergency session of this court to bring a motion requesting John Henry Giles remain on life support." House's attorney addressed the judge in the courthouse.

"Mr. House faces criminal charges for battery against… John Henry Giles. You beat up a guy in a wheelchair?" Judge Winter asked House.

"Dr. House is alleged to have forced a tube down Mr. Giles' throat against his will." Stated House's attorney and House stood up to address the judge.

"It was a medical tube, thus saving his life." House commented.

"Dr. House, please let your attorney speak for you." Judge Winter told him and House's attorney made a noise in the back of his throat.

"I'm sorry, your Honor. I was way out of line." House replied and sat.

"So, uh, your client forced the patient into this position," Judge Winter went on and Cora shook her head at House, "and now he wants a court order to force the patient to stay that way."

"Without the tube, there's a high likelihood that Mr. Giles will die." House's attorney said.

"Well, I assume the patient knows that, considering he had a DNR. That's why your client is facing criminal charges, right?" Judge Winter answered.

"Precisely. And Mr. Giles' death will violate my client's Sixth Amendment right." The attorney went on.

"The right to face his accuser," Judge Winter concluded and he smiled. "That's clever."

"Your Honor," John's attorney started, getting to his feet, "in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Hozelton, the 3rd district ruled that a defendant may not use that status to rule against a felony charge…"

Wilson, who was sitting behind House, leaned forward to talk to him, "Why are you doing this? It's not going to keep you out of jail."

"Nope." House replied, turning slightly to face Wilson and to keep an eye on the proceedings.

"Even if you win, the restraining order and battery charge stay in place. What have you gained?" Wilson continued.

"Time."

"To diagnose him? How are you going to do that when you can't get near him?" Wilson exclaimed.

"I don't want to get near him." House answered.

"You know how some doctors have the Messiah complex; they need to save the world? You've got the Rubik's complex; you need to solve the puzzle." Wilson muttered under his breath.

"Are you done, or do you have more references to 1980s fads? I'm trying to listen to this." Wilson let out a noise of disapproval but sat back and House turned back to the topic at hand, tugging at his shirt collar.

"That DNR may not be valid. The patient was suffering from depression brought on from a thyroid imbalance." House's attorney argued.

"The DNR order was witnessed by Dr. House's own staff, a, a Dr. Foreman." John's attorney stated, glancing down at his papers.

House stood again, "My staff are idiots. I'm sure you know what it's like, your Honor."

"Sit down!" Judge Winter demanded and House complied.

"The validity of the DNR is a question of fact. Dr. House should have the opportunity to make his argument at a full trial." House's attorney went on, pointedly ignoring his client.

"And this poor guy has gotta stay on life support until we can schedule a trial." Judge Winter assessed with a sigh and House stood up again.

"Your Honor –," He began but Judge Winter glared at him.

"Dr. House, I will hold you in contempt if you don't sit down." Judge Winter told him sternly.

"I have a medical issue." House said upon a sudden stroke of genius.

"If it pertains to this case your attorney should –," Judge Winter said but House interrupted.

"It doesn't. Do you have any history of heart disease in your family?" He asked, and he heard John's attorney scoff.

"Your Honor!" John's attorney attempted to object but House raised his voice to be heard over him.

"Your fingers. They show signs of clubbing, which indicate a health problem. Remember Bart Giamotti? Same thing; just dropped dead one day. Please see your doctor." House said with complete seriousness.

"He's admitted this isn't relevant. Can we please get back to the motion?" John's attorney said.

"Of course, I'm sorry." House replied and sat once more.

"Your Honor, a person's right to control the treatment of their own body is fundamental to understanding this case. A long line of –"

House tuned out John's attorney and watched Judge Winter examining his fingers in the light of the lamp.

After they recessed, House and Wilson walked out of the courthouse together. "Congratulations, impressive legal argument." Wilson said with some sarcasm.

"I watched Matlock last night." House answered, pulling off his tie.

"Oh, say no more. I didn't notice any clubbing on the judge's fingers." Wilson said and House smiled.

"Neither did I."

"So, the family history thing…" Wilson asked.

"Every family has some history of heart disease."

"And mental illness," Wilson muttered under his breath.

House entered the pathology lab to see Cameron and Chase standing there talking and raised his eyebrows to imply that they fill him in.

"Biopsy only shows inflammation." Chase said.

"Start him on Cytoxan," House directed.

"You're diagnosis Wegener's based on a little inflammation?" Cameron argued skeptically.

"Well, unfortunately I think we've exhausted all the tests we can do in the capacity as the doctors he doesn't want doing tests on him." House told her dryly.

"But you don't –," she started.

"We'll know I'm right if he starts walking." House stated.

"You can't do any more tests, but you want me to treat him?" Chase's expression was puzzled.

"The medicine's in the pharmacy, patient immobilized in the ICU. Sounds like a simple geography problem." House said simply.

"Are you asking us to jeopardize our medical licenses for this treatment?" Cameron asked him and he studied her.

"Well if you have a moral problem with it," He began and she set her jaw stubbornly. "Hmm, guess it's a good thing I don't." With that said, House turned and left them staring after him.

House entered John's room with an IV drip, and started to hook it up. John shook his head weakly but House ignored his protest and did it anyway. As he walked back to the door, he almost ran into Dr. Hamilton.

"Can I help you?" Hamilton asked him.

"I'm Dr. House, I'm –," House answered.

"Greg, right? I'm Marty Hamilton, John Henry's doctor." Hamilton stated, and then extended his hand, but House just looked at it. "We should talk."

Back in House's office, Hamilton stood while House sat in his chair, listening to Hamilton talk.

"I'd appreciate any list of medications, anything like that," Hamilton stated.

"I've started him on Cytoxan." House told him.

"For Wegener's, right? Look, Greg. I checked you out, okay? I know you're a good doctor and you have to appreciate that I'm a good doctor, too." Hamilton reasoned.

"Why?" House asked curtly.

"Wegener's is one of the first things I looked for but the biopsy and the blood tests were negative, just like yours." Hamilton said as he sat in one of House's chairs.

"There's an error rate, Marty." House said, playing with his cane.

"And there's a time to let go. Look, I'm taking him off the ventilator, and John Henry's gonna die. He's accepted that." Hamilton said and they both turned to the door as Foreman entered.

"Dr. Hamilton. Hey!" Foreman greeted while House looked on as they smiled and slapped each other's backs. "Listen, Dr. Hamilton, I'm sorry." Foreman said once they were done and House's eyebrows rose. "I should have never put your patient on IVIG."

"It's not your fault, Eric." Hamilton assured.

"No, it's mine. Eric." House interjected dryly.

"That's not what I said," Hamilton said to House then turned back to Foreman. "Everyone asks about you back in L.A."

"How's the old place doing?" Foreman asked and they started to chat again.

"Oh, this is wonderful." House commented to break up their charming reunion and they stopped chatting. "But before you guys break out the oil, I should point out you can't pull the plug; I have a court order."

"You used to, but –," Hamilton began.

"I have the right to face my accuser. Judge said so." House said triumphantly and a little childishly.

"Not if no one's accusing you, all the charges have been dropped." Hamilton said, and House's expression soured.

"He doesn't have to die." House said.

"It's not Wegener's." Hamilton replied firmly.

Later, House and Wilson watched through the glass walls as Cora, Hamilton and Foreman gathered in John's room. House wondered where Buffy had disappeared off to but figured he'd run into her sooner or later.

"If it's Wegener's, his lungs won't be able to handle it. As soon as they pull that plug he'll die." House told Wilson in a low voice.

"That's why they call it pulling the plug." Wilson answered as inside the room, John nodded and House turned away for a second.

"I'm gonna miss you." Cora whispered as she kissed him on the cheek. John started to cry a bit. Hamilton took off the ventilator, but… John kept breathing!

Foreman pulled out his stethoscope, brows furrowed as he walked closer to John's side. "He's still breathing!"

"His 0-2 sats are holding." Hamilton agreed.

"He's holding his own." Foreman confirmed, sounding amazed.

"He's still breathing," Wilson told House who turned to look at John.

"It's not Wegener's. Wrong again." He walked off and down the hallway where he again almost ran right into Buffy herself.

"Oh!" She cried out in surprise and she smiled when she recognized him. "I was just looking for you!"

"What is it?" He asked a little crossly, going over the case in his head. She noticed the expression on his face and the way he snapped at her and she looked at him with concern.

"What's wrong?" She asked, focusing on him. House started to walk again and she fell into step beside him.

"John's ventilator's out, he's still breathing." He told her as they came to the vending machine and he scowled at it.

"Okay…isn't that of the good?" She asked, reaching into her pocket and handing him so change.

"Yes and no, it means it's not Wegner's which means that I was wrong again." He told her with a grunt of thanks and pressed the button for a bag or pretzels.

"Ah, so that's why the scowl." She nodded in understanding as they set off again down the hall but he turned to go back to the elevator and for his office.

"Why were you looking for me?" House asked her as she snagged the bag from his hand and a few pretzels.

"I wanted to let you know that the report I was working on has been turned into Cuddy and she said she was very impressed." She told him, munching on the pretzels. He snatched the bag back and ate a few and she pressed the call button for the elevator.

"Wonderful, anything else?" He asked, still a little cross but she blew off his grumpiness.

"It's pretty late and I wanted to let you know that the report's done and that I'm heading home." She said as the elevator reached their floor and opened.

House climbed on but she stayed, and as the door began to close she frowned slightly and turned to leave.

"Dinner tomorrow?" House asked and Buffy turned to see that he had his cane stuck out to keep the elevator door from closing.

"Definitely." She agreed with a smile and his mouth twitched before he dropped his cane to his side, allowing the door to close.

Wilson and House walked into the Diagnostic office the next day, discussing John's case.

"He's stable, but one of his arms is now paralyzed." Wilson said.

"The real question is why he is still alive?" House asked.

"Do you think he's just being stubborn?" Wilson scoffed at him.

"He's alive because you were wrong. It's not Wegener's." Foreman said to House.

"Yeah, I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Funny thing is, people keep living because of my mistakes." House drawled.

"Progression of the paralysis pretty much confirms Hamilton was right; it's ALS." Cameron stated.

"Assuming this is a progression of his paralysis." House replied.

"He can't move his arm." Chase commented.

"Yes, his arm is paralyzed. Yes, his legs are paralyzed." House snapped and rolled his eyes at them. "Why is everyone so gung-ho to connect those two conditions? You could think I'm wrong, but that's no reason to stop thinking?"

"How about this one? He's not our patient." Foreman stated and House shook his head.

"Sorry, not good enough."

"He could have suffered a stroke when he was intubated." Cameron suggested and Foreman looked at her. "Well, blood clots are common in intubated patients. The inactivity causes –,"

"Not interested in why. Let's get an MR-angiogram for an embolic stroke." House interrupted her explanation.

"He doesn't want you treating him!" Foreman objected exasperatedly.

"They dropped the court order." House tossed back.

"Yeah, and that girl dropped the charges against Kobe. Doesn't mean that he should call her and see if she's free to get a sundae." Wilson spoke up.

"Good point, but I can go within 50 feet of him now." House turned to leave.

In John's room Hamilton talked to John, "If you need anything, page me, any time."

"Okay." John agreed and Hamilton left. As soon as he's alone, John started coughing. House, who was hiding behind a column in the lobby, came into the room. "Get outta here."

"Sure, that makes sense: you hate me for saving your life. In fairness to your side, you were also dying because of me, so –."

"You knew I didn't wanna be saved." John interrupted.

"That's what's interesting. Your thyroid was low, but not low enough to cause depression." House said as he approached the bed.

"So, you came here to tell me that even if I can't walk I can still hear the birds sing? Enjoy the rainbow, and feeling the sun shine on my face?" John asked, his voice dripping sarcasm.

"Those things are fun. Okay, life sucks, your life sucks more than most. It's not as bad as some, which is depressing all by itself. But do me a favor: just let me find out what's wrong with you. And if you still want to kill yourself, I'll give you a hand. Sound fair?" House reasoned.

"Yeah, sure. I'll stick around to indulge your obsession." John replied harshly, coughing again. "It's over, I lost my air. The session the other night, with those kids? That was a test to see if I could still play and I can't."

"And that's all you are, a musician?" House argued.

"I got one thing, same as you." John said.

"Really? Apparently, you know me better than I know you."

"I know that limp, I know the empty ring finger. That obsessive nature of yours? That's a big secret. You don't risk jail and your career just to save somebody who doesn't want to be saved unless you got something, anything, one thing." John stated and House watched him silently.

"The reason normal people got wives and kids and hobbies, whatever. That's because they don't have that one thing that hits them that hard and that true. I got music, you got this. The thing you think about all the time, the thing that keeps you south of normal. Yeah, it makes us great, makes us the best, and all we miss out on is everything else. No woman waiting at home after work with the drink and the kiss, that ain't gonna happen for us." John went on and House rolled his eyes.

"That's why God made microwaves."

"Yeah, but when it's over, it's over." John said finally.

"Maybe." House walked to the door and opened it, then he returned, started to undo the cords connecting John to the monitors.

"What are you doing?" John asked him, watching as House disconnected everything.

"It's not over for me. Either you're gonna call the cops again, or we're doing this." House told him, and he started to wheel John's bed out the door. "If you wanna die, you can do it just as easily inside an MRI machine."

At this point, the nurses at the desk watched House like he was crazy as he wheeled John down the hall.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Hamilton and Foreman eat lunch at a fancy restaurant that day, "So, I go back to L.A. I'm going to the Dana lectures again this year." Hamilton told Foreman and Foreman looked impressed.

"Wow, that's quite an honor." They both smiled at the waitress when she brought their salads.

"It's all political." Hamilton shrugged off his accomplishment.

"To be honest, you've earned it." Foreman said.

"I got honest on a couple studies I was doing. It all sells tickets. You remember last year's lectures, don't you?" Hamilton asked and Foreman smiled.

"I remember the cigar bar afterwards." He said.

"That's the only reason to attend the thing: cigars and pool." Hamilton cracked and Foreman laughed. "Do you enjoy working with Dr. House?"

"Enjoy isn't really the word I'd use," Foreman answered.

"We work too hard not to enjoy ourselves, right? Hmm.. Are you seeing anybody?" Hamilton asked and Foreman smiled.

"Kinda sorta."

"Serious?"

"Don't know yet, it could be."

"Do you think she would enjoy L.A.?" Hamilton asked and Foreman hesitated.

Later, Foreman entered the lab where Chase and Cameron were working on the MRA. "Hamilton offered me a job," he told them and Chase leaned back to look at him.

"Are you gonna take it?" Chase asked.

"I haven't decided."

"You already have the most prestigious fellowship," Cameron commented.

"It's a partnership." Foreman said and both of them turned to him. "Three times the money, car allowance, moving expense, pension plan, the chance to work for a guy who gives a crap what other people think."

"So, why didn't you just tell him yes?" Chase asked.

"I made a commitment here." Foreman answered.

"Right," Chase scoffed and turned back to the scan.

"House would let you out of it in a heartbeat," Cameron agreed.

"Or he wouldn't, just to jerk me around. Would you guys have taken the job?" Foreman asked them, crossing his arms.

"Don't need the money." Chase replied.

"I'm not like you, I don't hate House." Cameron seconded.

"You guys really don't have a problem with him with what he did?" Foreman asked incredulously.

"He knows we don't agree with his choice." Chase answered.

"Choice?" Foreman echoed with a frown at his colleague. "Chase, it's not apples and oranges, its right and wrong. And he does it like he doesn't care! He assaults the guy and moves on to the next differential diagnosis like it's nothing –,"

"What do you want from him? More hand-wringing, more torment? You want him to cry himself to sleep at night?" Cameron scoffed.

"Yes! I want some clue that he knows it's a big deal, that it scares him, and that it matters." Foreman answered.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's that?" Chase said, looking at the screen.

"It was a stroke!" Cameron said, looking at where Chase pointed.

"House called it, the arm and legs are unrelated." Cameron commented.

"You make enough calls; one of them is bound to be right." Foreman said.

"Yeah, he's just a lucky, lucky guy." Chase said sarcastically.

"Listen, listen, I just think it wouldn't hurt him to learn a little humility." Foreman stated, not noticing that House has been standing behind Foreman. Whoops!

"So, what's the verdict?" House prompted.

"Embolus, the arm problems caused by a clot." Cameron told him.

"There's a good chance we can still bust the clot with TPA." Chase agreed.

"Do it. See what happens to his arm." House directed and then walked back out.

Back in John's room, Cora and Hamilton were there listening as Foreman explained the situation.

"We found a blood clot in your brain. We'd like to start you on heparin, it's a blood thinner." Foreman explained.

"What are the side effects?" John asked.

"Well, your lungs are kind of chewed up from the pneumonia so there's a good chance there'll be an infusion." Foreman answered honestly.

"Bleeding?" Cora asked.

"Into his lungs," Hamilton told her and she took a sharp breath.

"It's our best chance to give you back the use of your arm." Foreman said.

"I don't need my arm without my air." John said stubbornly.

"The damage would likely be minimal," Foreman tried.

"No." John refused and Foreman looked to Hamilton.

"It's his call." Hamilton told Foreman.

"Or we could do an embolectomy, basically, we'd go in and pull the clot out." Foreman suggested.

"He's saying no to drugs and you're recommending brain surgery?" Cora asked him with disbelief but Hamilton thought it over.

"Bypasses risk to the lungs." Hamilton mused.

"Right, it'll either help your arm, or –," Foreman started.

"Or it'll kill me." John finished.

"From your point of view, it's a win-win." Foreman reasoned.

"Okay." John agreed.

"We'll set up the procedure for today." Foreman said and left the room to do so.

Buffy and Lauren went patrolling that night and Buffy debated with Lauren about some book they'd both read as they walked. It was a quiet night so they headed toward one of the graveyards next to a playground, talking.

As they approached, Lauren took off at a run, her arms outstretched as if she could fly, giggling. Buffy watched her with a small smile until she felt a presence, silently keeping pace behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Spike, and she stopped at a park bench to watch Lauren get on one of the swings and start to swing higher and higher, her hair flying wildly.

"Nice night for a stroll, eh pet?" Spike said as he took the spot beside her, a lit cigarette between his lips.

"Most of the graveyards around here are pretty boring." Buffy responded and regarded him out of the corner of her eye. "What have you been up to?" She asked, and he took in a drag from the cigarette.

"Looking for a place, found a nice crypt." He answered with a shrug, blowing out the breath of smoke. "Has the bloke been giving you trouble?"

Buffy made a face and his eyebrow rose at her in question, "No, he gave me a job."

Spike started to chuckle and Buffy tore her gaze from Lauren to look at him fully. "He's a smart one, I knew I liked him." Spike said, still chuckling.

"You know why he did it?" Green eyes narrowed on him.

"'Course, it's not that hard to figure out pet." Spike said and when she continued to watch him he lifted a hand and started to count reasons. "First, he gets a hot secretary who gets him out of doing something he doesn't want to. Second, it keeps you nearby so he can study you under a magnifyin' glass. Third, gives you a normal job. Fourth, now you have a reason to be around him more. Fifth, what better way for you to see him in action saving lives?"

Buffy thought it over, weighing each option. All the reasons he stated did sound like House, which meant he was probably right. She watched him inhale another drag before flicking it on the ground between two painted fingers.

"You're probably right." She said and he smirked but she ignored him to look over at Lauren who was still swinging.

"How's the chit doing?" Spike asked, following her gaze.

"She's doing well," Buffy shrugged. "It makes me sad though, she should be a normal girl just focusing on college."

"She's not a normal girl." Spike said simply and she sighed. She watched Lauren jump from the swing, her arms outstretched and her hair flying as she flew through the air and hit the grass on a roll.

Buffy and Spike watched Lauren get up and dust herself off, then spot them and walked over. "That was awesome!" She said excitedly, her cheeks flushed and a big smile on her face that made Buffy smile in return.

When they still didn't see any demons or vampires, the trio turned and headed back to the house. Spike told her some of the stories from his prime, back when he'd been the Scourge of Europe and Lauren made faces and gasped appropriately. When Buffy opened her front door and they all trooped inside, Spike was greeted by an indignant meow from Lestat.

Spike looked down at the pint sized animal then back to Buffy and Lauren who was giggling. "What the bloody hell was that about?"

"I think you just got yelled at." Buffy told him and Lauren went upstairs to change and shower, taking them two at a time. Spike grumbled well naturedly as he picked up the kitten and followed Buffy into the kitchen, Lestat draped across his shoulders.

Meanwhile, back in the OR, Cameron and Chase performed the procedure. "We're in your carotid artery; it's going to take us all the way up into your brain." Chase explained to John.

"Are you all right?" Cameron asked John.

"Yes." John answered. On the screen, there was a line going up his artery and into his brain. It moved to a CGI shot of inside the head as Cameron explained.

"The sludge is blocking the blood flow to the part of the brain that controls your arm. All done. Are you still okay?" She asked him again.

"I think so." John answered.

In House's office he sat at his desk, talking to Foreman.

"I don't know, I guess… It's just with Dr. Hamilton here; I've noticed a difference in styles." Foreman stated.

"His style involves humility." House countered mildly and Foreman hesitated. "Another difference in our styles: I don't care much for apologies. You can go."

"I didn't know you were standing there when I said that, okay? It was completely rude." Foreman offered.

"Do you mean genuine humility? You know, with all the self-doubt and the self-questioning, or Hamilton's polite, patronizing 'Aw, shucks' humility?" House asked, ignoring that statement.

"You're both excellent doctors." Foreman said.

"Thank you. And humility is an important quality, especially if you're wrong a lot." House drawled.

"You've been wrong every step of the way." Foreman argued.

"Of course, when you're right, self-doubt doesn't help anybody, does it?" House replied as his beeper went off and he glanced down at it and got to his feet. "We gotta go."

House and Foreman walked into John's room where Hamilton and Cora waited. "Congratulations, Gregg." Hamilton announced.

"Congratulations…" House muttered to Foreman, "Why, Marty?"

"John woke up, he can use his arm."

John lifted his arm to demonstrate, "Thank you."

"Now look, I know we've had our differences, but I think when a person does something well," Hamilton said as House picked up the phone, "It ought to be recognized."

"The phone works. Next time you want to make me feel all warm and fuzzy, leave a message." House commented, replacing the phone on the receiver. He tapped John's leg. "Don't get me wrong, I'm overcome with joy."

"Doc?" John asked him after a moment.

"Yeah?" Hamilton answered at the same time House said, "What?"

"You just touched my leg."

"What, are you gonna charge me with assault again?" House scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"No, I felt it."


	24. Chapter 24

_A/N: Feedback is much appreciated! See Chapter 1 for full disclaimer._

**Chapter 24 **

House walked into the Diagnostic office with Chase and Cameron a short time later. "He now has feeling all the way up to calf. This is the way medicine evolved: patients sometimes get better. You have no idea why, but unless you give a reason they won't pay you. Anybody notice if there's a full moon?"

"You're saying he just spontaneously got better?" Cameron answered.

"No, I'm saying let's rule out the lunar god and go from there." House replied.

"Something he's on is working." Chase commented.

At the same time, Hamilton and Foreman walked in a hallway. "The enzyme replacement protocol is working, reversing the ALS." Hamilton said.

"The timing doesn't seem suspicious to you?" Foreman asked him.

"Do you think Dr. House will see it that way? Figure it's his medication doing the job?" Hamilton chuckled.

"I'm sure he will." Foreman agreed.

In House's office he addressed his fellows, "It's one of ours."

"How do we figure out which drug is doing the trick?" Cameron asked.

"Easy, we stop all of them." House replied.

"One of those drugs is helping him." Chase stated.

"And the rest? Steroids, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, they're toxic if we leave him on all of them." House said.

"He'll walk again." Chase realized after a moment.

"Yeah, to his own funeral." House answered flatly.

"But if we stop everything, he'll get worse." Cameron insisted.

"True. Which means we'll add our medications back, one at a time. If he gets better, then we'll have our answer." House agreed easily.

"And if he doesn't get better?" Chase countered.

"Then we're in trouble. Not as much as he is. I suppose that was your point." House answered.

Foreman and House talked in a hallway, "I assume you want me to convince Hamilton to stop his treatments, too?" Foreman asked him.

"Don't care." House shrugged.

"You know at least five of the medications are part of his protocol?" Foreman argued.

"If his stuff was helping, the guy would have been playing tennis six months ago. It's our round of treatment that's helping." House retorted.

"Right. So that's what you'll stop." Foreman stated.

A short time later, Wilson found House in a clinic exam room, ducking clinic duty. "So your philosophy is, 'If they don't want treatment, they get it shoved down their throat, but if it might cure their paralysis, whoa, better slow down.'"

"Absolutely." House replied, not tearing his eyes away from the screen where they watched General Hospital on the portable TV. "My old philosophy used to be 'Live and let live,' but I'm taking this needlepoint class and they gave us these really big pillows."

"What's your philosophy on employee relations?" Wilson asked.

"That's a very tiny pillow." House answered.

"Great, sounds like you know what you're doing." Wilson said as there was a knock and Hamilton entered.

"Greg. May I have a word?" Hamilton asked.

"Can it wait for the commercial, Marty? Say 'hi' to my friend, Jimmy." House answered, still watching the small screen.

"Pleasure. Your diagnostic trial –," Hamilton started.

"Seriously, commercial's in about five minutes." House interrupted but Hamilton ignored him.

"- it's a dangerous game."

"We're not watching it in the bathtub, so I'd say we're safe." House retorted.

"What medications were you giving John Henry? I need to know." Hamilton demanded.

"Forget it. And if Foreman tells you what John Henry used to be on –," House began with a glint in his eye.

"You're gonna fire him?" Hamilton asked.

"Pfft! Nope, I'll make him live out every day of his two-year contract." House answered triumphantly.

"Foreman asked to leave?" Wilson asked House, finally breaking his silence.

"Not yet."

"How do you know I made him an –," Hamilton began.

"You're a polite twit, but you're not an idiot." House replied scathingly.

"I need to know what medications you've taken him off of." Hamilton repeated.

"Wait a second, you're not an idiot. You need to know what medications I've stopped, because…" House realized, turning his gaze from the screen of the small television.

In John's room, House poked John's leg. "He's getting worse." He whacked John's leg with a clipboard. Nothing. He turned to Foreman, "Right now you still work for me. Come on!"

"No feeling, no wiggling. The bad news is, John Henry's back where he started. The good news is, Hamilton looks bad." House told his ducklings and Buffy as they stood in the hallway.

"Yeah, it's not whether you win or lose, it's whether the other guy loses." Foreman grumbled.

"What was the first thing we put him on?" House asked, ignoring Foreman's reply.

"Steroids, for the pneumonia." Buffy answered as she scanned a paper she held.

"Well, put him back on them. Give them 24 hours, see what happens." House directed.

"His lungs aren't great, what if it causes another respiratory collapse?" Cameron argued.

"We hoped it doesn't. I didn't much like that lawyer. And get an MRI." House replied.

"He already got one, an MRA too." Foreman interjected.

"Well, obviously something is different now. Do it again. Chase, take care of the scan. Cameron, put him on the steroids." House directed and they left to do his bidding. He looked at Foreman, "We should probably talk, huh?"

As John went through the MRI machine, Chase and Cameron talked in the screening room.

"Thin cuts." Chase said.

"What levels?" Cameron asked him.

"T9 through the quarter-equinus, same as the last time. You really think House would let Foreman out of his contract?" Chase asked her, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"He has to. If he doesn't, he's telling Foreman he needs him. House can't handle that." Cameron replied and leaned closer to the screen. "Oh, my God!" She exclaimed and Chase exhaled a breath.

Back in House's office, he and Foreman were talking while sat in his desk chair and Foreman stood. Buffy had disappeared once again saying she had to type something up, had touched his arm once and left.

"I checked him out and he is a great doctor. You think he's better than I am." House prompted.

"Are you kidding me? This is about your ego?" Foreman asked incredulously.

"Answer the question. It's not going to change my opinion of myself, it might affect my opinion of you, but that shouldn't affect your opinion of yourself." House paused for a moment. "Now I'm getting confused. If you think he's a better doctor than I am, then you should take the job. Otherwise, you should get him to buy you two or three more nostalgic lunches and politely decline."

"It's that simple? I should just ignore the mockery and abuse?" Foreman scowled.

"Oh, how do I abuse you?" House answered mildly.

"How do you not? If I make a mistake –," Foreman went on.

"I hold you accountable, so what?" House interrupted evenly.

"Dr. Hamilton forgives, he's physically capable of moving on." Foreman finished.

"That is not what he does!" House shot back.

"I screwed up his case, he told me –,"

"He never said you were forgiven. I was there, he said it wasn't your fault." House corrected.

"What's your point?" Foreman demanded.

"You took a chance, you did something great. You were wrong, but it was still great. You should feel great that it was great. You should feel like crap that it was wrong. That's the difference between him and me." House explained, his gaze boring into Foreman's. "He thinks you do your job, and what will be, will be. I think that what I do and what you do matters. He sleeps better at night. He shouldn't."

Their discussion was cut short when Cameron and Chase came running in. "Arteriovenous malformation." Cameron wheezed.

"Intradural, compressing his spine." Chase agreed, putting up the x-rays.

"Causing his paralysis." House mused as he turned away from the matter with Foreman to study the x-rays.

"How could Hamilton have missed an AVM?" Foreman frowned, studying the x-rays as well.

"Well, we missed it, too because it wasn't there before." House answered.

"Are you saying it just grew overnight?" Chase asked.

"No, it was on the spine, just not on the MRI." He pointed to the x-ray from a few days ago. "Same anatomic location."

"It's not there." Cameron realized.

"Yes, what is there?" House went on.

"Nothing." Chase replied but House shook his head.

"Or something that looks like nothing." Buffy said, coming into the room to see them all peering at a screen. House flashed her an approving smile and she perched on his yellow chair to watch and wait for a chance to speak to him.

"Background noise, static." Cameron agreed.

"Scar tissue? Inflammation?" Chase asked.

"If it's inflammation, the steroids would have shrunk it down." Foreman argued.

"Revealing the AVM, which has always been there, hiding behind its own swelling. We remove that, he'll walk again." House finished. "Go schedule an OR and let Hamilton know what we found." House ordered and they scattered.

House turned from the scan to look at Buffy and she took that as her cue to talk. "I had an interesting conversation with Spike last night."

"Oh? How's he liking the 21st Century?" House answered, leaning back in his chair.

"What?" She asked, momentarily surprised into forgetting what she'd been about to say.

"Nothing, go on, you have my absolute attention," House answered and steeped his fingers.

"Okay.." She shot him a puzzled look but went on, "He told me some of the reasons you hired me."

"I'm sorry, Timmy fell down the well, what were you saying?" House asked mildly.

"I know you heard me Greg," Buffy answered, arching an eyebrow and using his first name for effect. House smiled a slow appreciative smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"And what did Spike tell you?" He prompted and she got to her feet to approach him, her steps measured and predatory.

"First, the reason you told Cuddy- you get a hot secretary that gets you out of doing something you don't feel like doing. Second, it means I'm close by so you can watch me like a hawk. Third, it gives me a normal job, something to do during the day. Fourth, it means I'll be around you more. And last, what better way for me to see you in your element saving lives?" She finished, repeating what Spike had said and watched his smile grow to meet his eyes.

"Curses, foiled again!" House exclaimed in mock defeat. "Are you saying you don't want the job?"

Buffy cocked her head to one side as she thought about it, "No, I'm just saying I'm onto your game mister."

"Fair enough," House answered with a nod. He got to his feet and walked out of his office and to the OR and she followed silently.

"So why didn't you tell me those were the reasons when I asked?" She asked him and he turned his head to acknowledge her but kept walking.

"What's the fun in that?"

House and Buffy watched from the observation deck of the OR as his team removed the AVM. Later on, back in John's room, Cora waited for John by his bedside when he woke up.

House pulled out his Vicodin as he reached the lobby, debating where to take Buffy for dinner. John walked out of the elevator, walking with a cane, his trumpet under one arm.

"Dr. House!" He called and House turned. "Cora's meeting me outside with a limo, I'm being discharged." John told him when he reached House.

"Fifty bucks says I can beat you to the curb." House drawled and John laughed.

"Thanks for sticking with the case." John answered.

"I can't do anything else." House took the Vicodin in his hand. "You're much more easily amused when you can walk."

"How bizarre, I'm guessing you weren't exactly Mr. Sunshine even before your leg got messed up." John said and handed House his trumpet. "I want you to have this."

"Wow." House stared at John, aghast.

"You can sell it if you want to, just promise me you won't play it." House smiled and saw Buffy approach from the corner of his eye. "How many of those pills are you taking?"

"I'm in pain." House deflected.

"Yeah. Aren't we all?" John paused, "So, where do you buy these things, do they have cane stores?"

"Oh, don't worry about it, you'll be jogging before you need a second one." House retorted as Foreman came out a side door. "See you tomorrow, Eric."

Foreman ignored him but acknowledged Buffy with a nod as she reached House and John.

"Are you ready? I'm starving!" She asked House brightly and he looked down at her with an indulgent smile.

"You're always starving." He answered and she stuck her tongue out at him childishly and smiled at John. "Glad you're feeling better."

"Thank you, so am I." John answered and she turned back to House.

"Meet you at the car? I'm thinking Chinese.." She mused. "Just don't try to steal my food again!"

"Did you forget who you're talking to?" House asked her and she huffed and gave John another polite smile and left.

John and House stood at the doorway just watching her and John appraised House out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe I was wrong, maybe you do have someone waiting for you at home."

House smiled but didn't reply, and John bid him a goodnight and walked over to his limo with Cora waiting inside. House watched and then turned in the direction of Buffy's car when she pressed the horn impatiently. He laughed and walked over to her car, contemplating going slow just to mess with her. Something about the way she was looking at him made him decide not to.

"Chinese it is then." House agreed once he'd climbed into the passenger side and she gave him a swift kiss on the cheek before putting the car into gear.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

About a week later House still hadn't gotten any closer to uncovering Buffy's big secret but having her around at work gave him the amusement and something close to contentment. Not that he'd ever admit it, mind you; in fact he never tired of seeing that indignant spark in her eyes whenever he verbally abused his ducklings. She caught on quickly to his game yet she still allowed herself to be surprised at his gruffness.

Wilson had even joined them one night for dinner when it was just he and Buffy and the two had ganged up on him, Wilson telling her all sorts of outrageous lies about him while Buffy cast him side-long glances and laughed. He drank in the sound of her laughter and even watched her at times while she typed or wrote in her little notebook. He wondered just what her big secret was and when she'd be comfortable telling him.

One day House got a break, he walked into the Clinic for duty to avoid her nagging him and he absently picked up a file and entered the exam room. He sat on the stool and appraised his patient. He hated Clinic duty; frankly he thought he had better uses for his talents to be wasting them on runny noses and STD's. Yet he did it mainly because when Cuddy didn't bug him about it, Buffy or Wilson did. He inwardly smirked in triumph at getting one up on them and waited for his patient to tell him her problem.

"I've been having problems with my leg," His patient stated finally, tapping her knee. House struggled to remain impassive and opened her file to read her history. One fact stood out above all the others and he turned calculating eyes back to the patient, a Mary West. He scooted his stool closer and motioned for her to roll her pant leg up so he could inspect it.

"What sort of problems exactly?" House asked her as he felt the muscle for any sign or a break or something else halfway obvious. Nothing jumped out at him but he figured it might have been a sprain or pulled muscle since she looked like an athlete. "Do you run?"

"Yeah, every day. I run ten miles before I go to work." Mary answered. He released her leg to make a note in the file and she rolled her pant leg back down. "Do you know what's wrong?"

"I'm sure you know what a pulled muscle is, so it's nothing some heat packs can't cure." He answered but handed her a prescription for some muscle relaxants and pain pills. "Your file says you're from California?" He prompted and she nodded. "What part?" He pressed even though the file stated where.

"Sunnydale, you know the one that fell into the sink hole." Mary answered as she got down from the examining table.

"Interesting, I happen to know someone from there too. In fact, your leg might seriously be hurt and what sort of doctor would I be if I didn't make sure everything looked good?" He said slyly, already formulating a plan in his mind.

"Oh I don't think that's necess-," Mary started but he stood and walked over to the door.

"Of course it is, don't worry, we'll have you finished up and on your way home faster than you can say Aspirin." He interrupted and stuck his head out the door. He caught the nurse's attention and asked her to page Buffy and went back inside to wait.

"What year did you graduate?" House asked Mary as they waited and she told him and he remembered that had been the same year Buffy had graduated as well. He was about to ask more about the ceremony itself when the door was knocked on and the girl in question entered.

Buffy turned her curious gaze from House to the girl upon the exam table and noted that she looked vaguely familiar yet she couldn't place where.

"Ah!" House said delightedly and Buffy felt a little wary when she noticed the glee in his eyes accompanied to what she know recognized to be mischief. "Mary West, this is Buffy Summers, it seems you have something in common."

Buffy looked at the girl, Mary, and gave her a polite smile and Mary brightened and claimed, "Buffy, yeah I remember you!"

Buffy's expression grew even more puzzled, "I saw you at the mall a few years before Sunnydale sank, I was buying a dress and you showed up with some big gun looking thing." Buffy's eyes widened a fraction as she realized exactly what incident Mary was talking about and she shot a look at House who looked like a child at Christmas at Mary's revelation. "Geez do you remember graduation? That big battle and the mayor turning into a big snake?" Mary went on and Buffy hurried to reply, to hopefully derail House's train of thought before she was exposed.

"Yeah he was a major snake," she answered, hoping House would assume she meant figuratively. Besides, how often did people turn into giant snakes and get blown up by a bunch of dynamite?

"Thank god we had all those flamethrowers, I mean that was just crazy!" Mary shook her head at the memory and Buffy was about to reply with some vague answer but she was interrupted by Cuddy opening the door and peering at the three of them.

"Is everything alright in here?" Cuddy asked but mainly directed her question at Mary.

"It's just wonderful, it turns out that Buffy and Mary came from the same town, small world huh?" House answered mildly and Cuddy examined him with a frown. She knew House really well, and she could tell when he was playing his own agenda.

"It seems so," she answered slowly and turned her attention to Buffy who looked like she wanted to bolt from the room any second. "Buffy I wanted to speak to you about one of the reports; I noticed that you got the date wrong on the form." Cuddy explained and Buffy beamed a look of relief.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I'll, uh, go fix that right away!" Buffy said and quickly left after saying a vague farewell to Mary. God how was she going to do damage control now? Maybe she ought to just tell him the secret, she thought.

She paced the hallways until she heard the sound of Cuddy approaching, no doubt to question if she was alright. She stopped pacing and forced her body to relax and smiled at the Dean of Medicine brightly, squashing her nerves.

"Are you okay Buffy?" Cuddy asked once she reached her and Buffy nodded, "I know how House can be when he's got a puzzle he can't solve. He's like a dog with a bone until he figures it out. Perhaps it's just best to put him out of his misery," Cuddy suggested lightly, feeling bad for the younger woman.

Buffy's gaze strayed back to the Clinic where she watched House exit the exam room with a grin and start toward the door and them. She worried her lower lip as she watched him, mentally debating whether Cuddy was right. So far she'd only told Chase but he'd taken it well. Was it incredibly naïve of her to hope House never figured it out, to wish things could stay exactly as they were between them? She couldn't handle seeing him look at her as if she was a freak of nature, or worse that he would lose interest in her altogether once the puzzle was solved.

"I, uh, have to go do, um," Buffy stated and fled before finishing her sentence as House got closer. Cuddy and House watched her take off down the hall and out of sight, identical frowns and curious expressions on their faces.

"What are you doing, House?" Cuddy asked him softly. She liked Buffy, and even she had noticed the difference in her Diagnostician since Buffy's appearance in Plainsboro and she worried that the more he tried to find out who Buffy was, the farther he'd push her.

"I don't know what you mean," House deflected absently though he knew what she was referring to.

"House she needs time; she needs to figure out her place here. Lay off the mind games or she's only going to run farther." Cuddy told him and walked away. House stayed in place, processing Mary's insights into his blond girlfriend, if in fact she could be called that.

Suddenly he was pulled from his thoughts by a nurse yelling through the open door of the Clinic for him. He turned to head back with a heavy sigh, deciding to track Buffy down later to pry more details from her about what Mary had revealed.

His attention immediately zeroed in on the reason the nurse had called him as his frown deepened when he recognized the young girl that had just been brought in. He quickened his pace as much as he could with his cane and snatched the clipboard from the girl's gurney.

"Who made the call?" He demanded and the EMT informed him that a passerby had found the girl lying on the ground, unresponsive. House checked for vitals and a heartbeat and relaxed only marginally when he found one. He swept his gaze across her form, taking in the blisters and burns as well as the gashes upon her arms, the blood drying and making her clothes stick to her.

"Page my team and Miss Summers." He ordered the nurse who nodded and went to do as she was told.

"Miss Summers?" The EMT asked and another nurse aimed a questioning look at him that echoed the EMT's.

"This patient's name is Lauren Mason, Miss Summers is her proxy." House stated and went off in the direction of his office.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Once Buffy got her page, she broke into a run toward Lauren's hospital room, dodging around patients and other doctors as she went. The only thing in her mind was the memory from her dream of Lauren, broken and bleeding, and even worse- dead. She reached the room and pulled the door open so hard she forgot about her Slayer strength and being exposed in her fear.

Buffy swept her gaze around, briefly taking in House's absence, and figured he was in his office already. She finally let her eyes fall to the figure lying in the bed, and she took an involuntary step forward, her breath caught in her throat.

Lauren was in a hospital gown and hooked up to machines and tubes and Buffy watched as her chest rose and fell, only a little relieved that she was still alive. Lauren's arms and abdomen were bandaged and Buffy felt the anger boil in her belly when she saw the burns and blisters. She looked as if she'd tangled with a demon and lost but she put revenge out of her mind as she focused on taking in Lauren's state.

Just then a nurse walked in and she looked at Buffy uncertainly, "Uh I'm sorry miss but visiting hours aren't for another hour."

"I'm not-," Buffy started to reply only to be interrupted by House.

"She's not a visitor, moron." He said and the nurse scowled at him and walked out again with a huff. House came to stand at her side and Buffy looked back at Lauren, and then reached out a hand to smooth a stray curl from the girl's face.

"What happened?" She asked him softly, not tearing her gaze from Lauren's face.

"She was brought in by a passerby; they said she was unconscious when they found her. Do you know what could have caused the burns?" He asked her, studying her profile intently.

"I'm damn well going to find out." She replied determinedly and left the room without another word. House followed her after a moment and caught up to her in the hall, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Buffy," He started but she held up a hand and pulled away from his touch and he dropped his hand to his side dejectedly.

"House I can't do this right now, I have to call her school and her parents." Buffy said, fighting the tears that threatened to fall and struggling to keep him from seeing the fear in her eyes.

"Alright," He answered quietly and he turned to go back to his office. She watched him go for another moment, letting the misery roll through her until she remembered that she had people to call.

Buffy managed to explain to the Dean of Lauren's school that she was sick and after wishing Lauren a speedy recovery, the man assured her that Lauren would be able to attend her classes once she was well. The next call she dreaded yet she made it anyway, but she got Lauren's parents voicemails so she left a brief message telling them that Lauren had been in an accident and the name of the hospital. She hung up feeling annoyed that Lauren's parents probably wouldn't return the call or come see their daughter.

Her next call was to Giles to find out what sort of demon caused the wounds Lauren had sustained and she headed for the roof to allow herself some privacy. "Giles, I can't just stand here and watch her die, give me something to pummel," She pleaded, desperation in her voice.

Giles sighed through the line and she felt herself getting even more agitated, "Buffy I'll have some of the Slayers look into it and I'll get back to you once I know, okay?" He answered and she let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. She heard the door to the roof open a few feet behind her but paid House no mind. He was the only one she knew of that was aware of where she went when she wanted to be alone.

"Call me as soon as you do." She directed and Giles offered her his assurances that he would. She disconnected the call and slipped the phone into her pocket as she felt House approach to stand next to her.

"Any change?" Buffy asked him, chewing on her cheek and running over every demon she'd faced since her Calling that could have hurt Lauren.

"Her sats are hovering in the 90's and her body's healing as fast as yours did. However there's something else that caught my eye." House replied and she turned her head to look at him.

"What else?" She asked since he didn't outright say.

"She's asleep." He answered and her brows knitted together in confusion.

"Asleep? What do you mean asleep?" She demanded.

"Exactly that. She's not comatose, yet she seems to be in REM sleep. Her brain waves indicate she has been for a while." He replied and she shook her head as she tried to piece together this new information.

"Can you wake her?" Buffy asked and he shook his head. "Well why not? If she's asleep then splash some water on her or something."

"Tried that. Interestingly enough, she still hasn't responded." House answered mildly and she fully faced him, her arms crossed over her chest.

"So why are you here with me?" She questioned and he considered her a moment before replying.

"I want to take on her case." He said and she stared at him, waiting for the smile that indicated he was joking. When it didn't come, she raised an eyebrow and he shrugged in reply to her unspoken question. "As her proxy I need your approval." He stated.

"Fine but on one condition," Buffy answered and House groaned. "I'm going to be there every step of the way, she isn't some patient you can run asinine tests on, she's my charge and I'm not going to stand by and let you play trial and error."

House watched her as he thought over her condition, weighing the alternatives in his mind but finding none. "Deal." He started to lead the way to the roof door and she followed him, and when they reached the stairwell he looked back at her over his shoulder. "By the way, you're fired."

Buffy stopped in her tracks on the stair above his yet he continued on and she hastily caught up to him. "What do you mean I'm fired?" She demanded.

"If you're going to be in on the process of curing your friend then I can't have you as my secretary, there's a whole conflict of interests thing." House replied and she frowned. "Don't worry; you'll have plenty of chances to argue with me during the diagnostic process." House winked at her and she made a face at him. He stopped on the last stairwell and pulled her into his arms.

Buffy tilted her head back to look at him and he gave her a small smile that encouraged her to trust him. She felt her strength falter and buried her nose in his shirt and he rested his chin on the top of her head, comforting her without a word. House tightened his embrace and she felt reassured by his presence enough to let him.

Their tender moment was interrupted by his pager going off, and then by her phone ringing a second later but neither seemed to want to break their hold on the other. House felt Buffy shift against him and looked down to see her looking back up at him, emotions swimming in her sea green gaze. He searched his mind for something to say to soothe her, but he couldn't think of anything that would help. He wasn't used to caring for someone like he did about Buffy, not since things had gone to hell with Stacy.

House's pager beeped again, reminding him of where he was and she broke away from his hold with a sigh and reached into her pocket for her phone. He watched her expression change completely into one of determined grimness and felt a small ripple of fear flash through him.

"Giles, tell me you found something." She demanded into the phone and pulled the door open, setting off down the hall at a brisk pace. House followed a little slower and turned in the direction of his office, giving her a little privacy. His mind was going back over Lauren's sats and tests, puzzling over why she was in a deep sleep.

As Buffy passed House's office she tossed the room a distracted glance, waiting for Giles to come back on the line. What she saw in Wilson's office however made her freeze on place and stare. She snapped the phone closed and opened the door without knocking or waiting for a greeting. Her gaze bore into the man seated on Wilson's couch as he stared back at her with equal surprise, slowly getting to his feet. "Dad?" Buffy breathed.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

House studied the board in front of him as he twirled his cane absently then noticed a flash of blond hair and turned to see Buffy throw open Wilson's door and walk inside. Curious, he walked away from the board and toward Wilson's office.

Buffy stared at her father who stared back, at a loss for words. She turned her attention to Wilson who was looking at her sympathetically which she halfway registered but not why. Behind her, she felt House approach but she ignored him to turn her sights back on her father.

"Buffy?" Hank Summers asked and he started forward to embrace her. Buffy had the sudden desire to run but allowed herself to be hugged, her body tense with shock and confusion. "What are you doing here in Plainsboro? Are you sick?"

Buffy stepped back and raised a hand to halt the barrage of questions and Hank fell silent, still watching her with an awed expression. "I work here, and no I'm not sick." Buffy replied, opting not to answer the land mine topic of her mother. She shot a glance at House who watched the interaction but he didn't dispute her claim of employment.

"Buffy, this isn't really how I wanted you to find out..." Hank began and Buffy looked between her father and Wilson in confusion. She wasn't able to ask what he was talking about because he blurted, "I have cancer."

Buffy froze as her mind rapidly to process what he'd just told her and she shot a look at Wilson to see the pity and worry on his face as he looked back at her.

"I can't- I can't do this right now," Buffy stuttered and took a step back, spun on her heel and darted around House's form to escape down the hallway. She heard all three yell for her but she kept running until she'd reached the main entrance of the hospital and once outside, she struggled to breathe past whatever was lodged in her throat.

Buffy heard the sounds of someone coming up to her, but before they could touch her, she took off again, not really sure where she was headed. It was all too much, her father who she hadn't seen or heard from in years was back but he had cancer? Lauren was attacked and in a deep sleep and she had no idea how it had happened or how to wake her. She kept running, her hair whipping behind her as she let her senses guide her steps.

As she rounded a corner, Buffy realized that she'd run straight to a cemetery, the very same one House had taken her to before. She reached out with her senses, and then followed them to a darkened mausoleum with the door open a crack. She pulled the stake she always carried on her person and stealthily crept inside, feeling around for how many vampires there were.

Buffy didn't bother to quip, just kicked the door open the rest of the way and watched the vampires turn to snarl at her. She leaped into action, ducking a swing from the closest to the door and she backhand punched him into a second. Vampire number 3 advanced in full game face and she felt her lips stretch into a cold smile. She paused and waited for him to come within striking range and punched the vampire in the solar plexus. Vampire 3 growled and hunched in pain until she grabbed both sides of his ridged head and head-butted him as hard as she could.

Blinking the stars from her vision, she hit the vampire a few more times and felt vampire number 2 creeping up from behind her and threw her arm out to the side, her stake going directly into its chest as the vampire turned to ash. Buffy heard a familiar yell and dropped into a roll as an ax flew past where she'd just been to embed in the wall. Vampire 3 took that opportunity to attack and aimed a kick at her ribs but Buffy reached out and caught the vampire's ankle before he could and easily twisted its leg, effectively breaking it's ankle as it howled in pain and rage.

Buffy heard the sounds of fighting nearby but paid them no attention, recognizing one of the vampires as Spike and focused on her battle with Vampire 3. She got to her feet as the vampire shook off the pain from its broken ankle and attempted to attack her but she grabbed a handful of the vampire's 70s style tie die t-shirt and shoved him against the wall with all of her strength. The vampire scowled and Buffy narrowed hard eyes on it before raining punches on its face.

Buffy heard the sound of Spike's foe turning to ash but she was too consumed in her rage that she didn't deter from her assault on the vampire. She spun and threw the vampire away from the wall and stalked toward it with a predatory gleam in her eye. She gripped her stake in her hand as she advanced, and the vampire had the good sense to retreat a few steps but she was forced to stop when Spike stepped in her path.

Buffy glared at Spike and tried to step around him to get back to her target but the vampire stumbled over a piece of upturned furniture and went down. Buffy sneered at the vampire and leveled Spike with a challenging look. "Do you mind? I'm kind of busy here."

Spike's scarred eyebrow rose as he studied her and tossed a glance behind his shoulder to the vampire who was discreetly trying to scramble away with its broken ankle. He picked up a book and tossed it at the vampire's head, causing it to slump to the floor, unconscious. That problem solved, Spike turned back to see Buffy scowling at him for interrupting her fun but he just crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.

"Damnit Spike," Buffy sighed in annoyance. She stepped to one side to go around him but he moved too quickly and blocked her path again with his maddening smirk. "Get out of my way." She growled and tried again but he stopped her once more and she tossed her head, shaking her blonde hair out of her face as she glared at him, her hands on her hips, once clutching her stake.

"What's going on with you, pet?" Spike asked, unaffected by the way she was glaring at him for daring to come between her and her enemy. "Walking into a crypt with no backup?"

"Spike, I'm the Slayer, I can handle four vamps." Buffy spat but he wasn't convinced.

"With just that little piece of wood as protection?" Spike scoffed, ignoring her reply and the way her scowl deepened. "What's really going on?"

"It's none of your business!" She snapped and he watched her for another moment, trying to read whatever was in her eyes that she was reluctant to tell him. Behind him, the vampire had come to and made a break for the door when he noticed the preoccupied Slayer. Spotting the vampire's retreat, Buffy threw her stake with unwavering aim and the vampire turned to dust, leaving just the two of them, glaring at each other.

Spike watched Buffy for another minute but when she tried to step around him he acted on impulse and punched her square in the nose. Buffy jerked back from the impact and glared at Spike fiercely. She hit him back and he dodged it, darting to the side and back, then threw another that connected with her side.

"Come on love, let's dance." Spike taunted, figuring if she wouldn't tell him what was going on then he could at least help her vent her frustrations, certain she wouldn't stake him.

Buffy felt her mouth stretch into a smile and let her body coil into an attack, jumping up to lash out at Spike with a roundhouse kick that he easily blocked. Spike reached for her wrist and twisted it, making her drop her stake. "Now, now, none of that." He scolded and he threw her into the wall, making it crack with the impact. Spike watched as Buffy slumped for a moment and smiled as she got back to her feet, her eyes glittering dangerously.

Buffy launched into a flip and Spike stumbled back when her leg reached its destination with his temple. He wiped away the trickle of blood from his forehead and Buffy advanced again, throwing combinations of punches and kicks at him. They fell into a rhythm as they exchanged and traded blows, neither gaining the advantage. Buffy's phone rang unnoticed as the two continued their brawl, dancing as Spike referred to it.

It was only when she tossed him several feet with a solid kick to the chest and into a tomb did their fight end. Buffy snapped out of her trance and went to Spike as he held a hand to his torso, but stopped when he started to laugh. She moved to his side to help him stand and they walked toward the exit, and Buffy realized that somewhere in the time she'd taken off from the hospital and her fight with Spike that night had fallen.

Buffy maneuvered Spike to a nearby tree and sat with him on the ground, both breathing heavily, even though he didn't need to breathe at all. Buffy leaned her back against the tree trunk and closed her eyes, wincing from her injuries. Beside her, she heard Spike rustle in his pocket for his smokes and his lighter, striking one up and inhaling a drag.

"You ready to tell me what the deal is goldilocks?" Spike asked her quietly and Buffy made a face at the name but didn't bother to argue anymore. She filled him in on Lauren's state and about her father's reappearance and revelation, summing it up with what little they'd learned about how Lauren had come to be attacked and put into her sleep.

Spike listened as he turned over the information, going through his mind and tried to figure out what sort of beastie could accomplish this. "I might have an idea, let me feel around and I'll get back to you." He told her and she let out a grateful sigh, and he felt her head rest on his shoulder. "It'll be okay pet; the Watcher will figure it out." Spike assured her gently but she didn't answer.

"Spike what about my dad?" Buffy asked instead, pain and fear evident in her voice. "He hasn't been around since I was Called and when mom died I never heard from him. Now he's got cancer."

"Wasn't he with that Wilson bloke?" Spike asked and she nodded. "You said he's the best Cancer doc there is, there might be hope still."

Buffy was silent once more, going over everything that had happened in the last day or so. Suddenly Spike started to chuckle and Buffy angled her head to look at him, "What?"

"Do you know what day it is, love?" He replied and Buffy started to laugh as she caught on.

"Tuesday, it's always a Tuesday. I hate Tuesdays!" Buffy swore and Spike chuckled a little longer until they both lapsed into a silence once more.

"Talk to your pop, see what the deal is. Let the Watcher and Red and the Whelp find answers and then we can deal with the demon, yeah?" Spike stated finally and Buffy gave a tired nod, all the fight gone from her body.

Spike felt the pressure from her head leave his shoulder as she got to her feet and he accepted her hand up, brushing the grass and dirt from his clothes and duster. They looked back at each other for a moment, assessing the other's mood and injuries. Buffy stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Spike's waist in a hug and felt his own coming around to embrace her with equal strength. She basked in his comfort and affection for a full 3 minutes before her phone rang again, breaking the silence shrilly.

Buffy and Spike separated and he brushed a hand over her hair and a kiss to her forehead, whispered he'd be in touch and took off, blending with the shadows. Buffy watched him go until her phone rang again, jerking her from her reverie. She looked at the caller-ID and flipped it open, exhaled a breath and started to walk back to her house, "Yeah Giles, what's the sitch?"


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

In England, Giles cleared his throat as Buffy answered and straightened in his chair to glance at the clock on the wall of his office. "Buffy, I apologize for calling at such a late hour-"

"It's no big, I was out patrolling." Buffy interrupted as she walked up the steps of her porch then paused. She really had no desire to go inside her empty house so she opted for sitting on the steps while she waited for her Watcher to explain what he'd found. "Giles, did you find anything to help Lauren? Tell me you found a way for me to kill whatever did this." She asked the plea evident in her voice.

"I'm afraid I haven't Buffy, I'm terribly sorry. Dawn and Willow are looking through the texts with some of the other Slayers but we haven't been able to find much." Giles answered regretfully and Buffy's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I did however find a way to possibly wake Lauren," He started and Buffy lifted her head slightly and her fingers clutched the phone tighter. She heard the sound of shuffling papers and felt her patience snap.

"Giles!" Buffy barked to get his attention and the sound stopped for a moment, "How do I wake her?"

"Oh yes, right. There's an incantation we can try-."

Suddenly he was interrupted by someone Buffy recognized as Dawn speaking in the background. "Giles, we found the demon, is that Buffy?"

Giles wasn't given the chance to reply because Buffy heard her sister's voice rambling over the line. "Buffy the demon is a Gar'rok; their attacks can paralyze and put their victims into an enchanted sleep. They can be killed with your average weapon so the scythe should work. You'll need someone with magic to say the spell to wake her though so I'm catching a flight out there in a few hours."

Buffy mulled over the information in her mind and how she could go about picking up Dawn from the airport (arguing was senseless, she knew) as well as track down the Gar'rok. "Alright, let me know when you're taking off and when you'll be getting here and I'll get you," Buffy stated finally as she got to her feet and waked to her door with purpose.

There was no time like the present to find the Gar'rok, she decided with steel intent, already thinking of how she would be able to find it. Looks like her nightly jaunt with Spike had ended too soon, she thought ruefully.

An hour later Buffy and Spike, who she'd found at a bar having a drink, were fighting a very ugly demon with razor-sharp talons. Buffy sidestepped a lunge from the Gar'rok as it roared at her, dropping into a roll to avoid being slashed.

"So, Spike," Buffy commented casually as he ducked a swing from the Gar'rok, "Love the new place, how'd you find it?" Buffy picked up the scythe and swung it in an arc, decapitating the Gar'rok deftly.

"Damn, that was getting fun!" Spike frowned at her as she picked up the Gar'rok's head and slung the scythe over one shoulder then reached into his pocket for his cigarettes. "Oh right, yeah I found some blokes camping out, had a gay old time dusting them, figured why let a nice place go to waste?"

They fell into step beside each other as they walked back toward the hospital and Buffy shot him an amused look then reached for her cell to dial Giles. "Giles, it's me. Yeah the Gar'rok? Big check in the slay column, Buffy- 1, Demons- Zilch!" Spike chuckled beside her so she grabbed his cigarette and tossed it in a puddle.

"Buffy!" Spike growled at her and she smiled sweetly at him. "I'll swing by later to see the nibblet." He said before disappearing.

Buffy watched him go until she realized that she was still on the phone with Giles and that he was trying to get her attention. "What? Oh, sorry Giles."

"Buffy, Dawn's plane is going to be landing in a few hours. I'm glad the Gar'rok is taken care of and with Dawn flying in, Lauren should wake and be alright. Call me if you need anything?" Giles replied.

"Yep, will do." Buffy answered affirmatively then bid her farewells. She still had to go by the hospital and ready the guest room for Dawn, she thought as she speeded her step toward the hospital. One thing was for sure, she smiled to herself, it was going to be an interesting couple of days.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Her body was on fire, her skin burning with pain, was her first conscious thought. How was she still alive? She opened her mouth to scream, to call for help but no sound escaped. She struggled to open her eyes and feel around with her senses; there was a faint humming and beeping of machinery, the smell of sterilization, she was in a hospital, Lauren realized. Which was good but how did she get there, and why was she even breathing still?

Lauren finally forced her eyes open to indeed see the ceiling of a hospital room above her, she turned her head and saw an EKG and an IV dripping a clear liquid attached to her arm. She pulled the IV out and swept her gaze around, expecting to see Buffy but found no one.

Briefly she wondered why there wasn't a nurse coming in but pushed the thought aside and swung her feet over the side of the hospital bed. Lauren spotted a robe nearby and pulled it on, making a mental note to thank Buffy when she saw her. She walked to the entrance of her room and peeked into the hallway to see nurses and doctors walking this way and that.

Lauren decided to try and find House and set off toward his office, not noticing the doctors walking past. She reached the elevator and stepped inside before the doors closed and smiled at an elderly patient. A younger female doctor, one she recognized as one of House's fellows, pressed the button so she waited patiently.

Glancing over at the doctor, Lauren noticed that she held a file in her hand and it had her name on it. Curious, she opened her mouth to say something but the elevator jerked to a stop as they reached their destination. Lauren figured that House would know more and followed the doctor to his office, glancing around for Buffy as she went. Shouldn't her mentor be at work?

Silently shadowing the doctor, Lauren followed her into House's office but her shoulders sagged a little when she didn't see Buffy there either. Maybe she'd gone home? Lauren walked over to the white board and looked at it, her eyes widening when she realized her own name was on top, with a short list of what seemed to be symptoms. That made no sense, she thought as she read it, why did it say she was asleep? Didn't they know by now she was awake, as evidenced by the fact that she was standing right there?

Upon another inspection of the room, Lauren slowly realized that none of the doctors were even looking at her or talking to her. What was going on? She walked up to Chase and waved a hand in front of his face as he studied a text but he made no reaction. Growing more confused, Lauren repeated the same action on the others, with the same result.

Something wasn't right…

Lauren looked frantically for House but he wasn't present so she hurried to the door and the elevator, hoping maybe he'd gotten a page saying she was awake and had gone to her room or maybe to call Buffy.

Lauren shifted impatiently as she waited for the elevator to get back to the floor and again stepped inside after a middle aged man. Lauren paid him no mind as he ironically pushed the button for the same floor she'd been on and watched as the numbers lit up slowly, fighting the urge to mutter under her breath. Why were elevators so blasted slow?

Turning to one side she brushed past the man, grunting an apology as she did but didn't stop to wait or hear his reply. She quickened her steps, looking for her room, Buffy or House.

Lauren's eyes lit up as she spotted Buffy entering a room with House right beside her, and jogged a little to catch up to them. "Buffy!" She called but her mentor didn't turn or acknowledge her.

Lauren entered the room to find Buffy and House standing nose to nose arguing about procedure or tests of some sort and tried again to get their attention. When neither responded, she felt a sick twisting of her gut that told her to look at the bed.

What the heck….

Lying on the bed and hooked up to machines, skin a pale sickly color and hooked up to multiple machines. . Was her.

Buffy walked into the hospital and straight for Lauren's room, her mind racing as she filtered thoughts through it ranging from Dawn's arrival in a matter of hours to hope that the spell would wake her friend. She was worried for Lauren and a distant part of her mind whispered that she wouldn't wake, that Lauren was going to die as she had in her dream. It was the memory of that dream that hastened her steps.

A moment later, she saw House approaching but didn't spare him as much as a glance, her thoughts occupied. She was aware of him falling into step with her as they entered Lauren's room and she paused in the doorway. Buffy glanced around, the nerves on her neck standing on end as she felt something she couldn't quite identify.

Putting the feeling aside, she walked further into the room to see that there was no change in Lauren's state, that she was still asleep. House's hand closed over her own but she barely felt it.

"I have to take her for some tests," he told her gruffly and her head whipped around to focus on him, all thoughts gone.

"What tests?" She demanded, ignoring the harsh sound of her voice due to worry and thankfully he pretended not to hear it as well.

"There's a test we can do on her brain waves, maybe determine if she's awake in there." House replied, nodding his head in Lauren's direction.

"Is it necessary?" Buffy asked, pulling her hand from his and folding her arms. Perhaps she wasn't being entirely fair, she knew but Lauren was her responsibility and she wanted to make sure that he wasn't ordering asinine tests out of his obsession to find out her secret.

"Impossible to tell until we run the tests," House shrugged easily, unfazed by the fierce way she looked at him. This was a side of her he'd only glimpsed once before, he thought as he stared her down.

"And if she wakes up during the tests?" Buffy asked.

"Then we'll know the answer, won't we?" He shot back.

Buffy felt the urge to laugh and her lips twitched but she squashed the feeling, again her senses pricking at the presence of something just beyond her vision. Abandoning her argument with House, Buffy tore her gaze from his to sweep around the room but nothing was out of place.

Walking closer to the bed, Buffy watched Lauren, her worn eyes trailing over her friend's still body. She heard House follow and he pressed the button to call his fellows, unhooking Lauren from the machines and wheeling her to the door. As he passed, his eyes met and held her own with the silent promise to alert her once he knew something. Seeing that in his gaze softened her reluctance and she nodded very slightly, in thanks or in permission she wasn't sure.

Buffy watched House lead Lauren to the door and down the hallway, heading for the elevator, where she couldn't follow being simply a visitor. At that moment she felt a brush across her arm and she shivered, rubbing her skin with one hand. She wasn't able to contemplate that because her phone rang a moment later, jolting her from her thoughts and reminding her that Dawn was due soon and she still had to go to the airport and home.

Buffy sighed and turned to go, hoping against hope that her sister was right, that the spell would work and that Lauren would be alright. Unseen by her, Lauren sat in the guest chair to wait for House to return with her body.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Lauren was going out of her mind. Although since she was out of her own _body_, that may have not been the proper phrasing but still. She'd watched one doctor after another come in and poke her body, do tests and change medicines. She kept trying to talk to them in the hopes that somehow one of them would hear her but no luck.

Buffy hadn't been back but House made a few silent visits, even sat in one of the chairs and watched a soap, seeming to ignore her but there nevertheless. Even his minions had come in periodically, Chase the most. She wondered where Buffy had gone but didn't think she could leave the hospital so she was resigned to wait. Not that she had a choice, being incorporeal and all.

Lauren had even followed House around a few times, just to listen to him rule out one medical condition after another and she could tell he was starting to get frustrated that were no closer to an answer than they had been since she'd collapsed. She wished she could call Giles or talk to Buffy or Dawn, surely one of them knew it was a demon that had attacked her and would find some kind of antidote?

It was one such shadowing that lead to the two of them being alone in his diagnostics room as he studied the white board, trying to think and unaware of her presence. She sat but of course that didn't even draw his attention, watching him watch the board and twirl his cane speculatively.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way, you know." Lauren said to the silent doctor, "I was supposed to finish college and party, be a regular girl. But no, I got Called and some gross demon got me when I wasn't looking." Lauren sighed and got up to pace, half-hoping the sound would register but it didn't.

Just then the door opened and Buffy entered, both occupants turned to look at her and Lauren saw House's eyes brighten very slightly before it was masked. He cared for Buffy more than she'd thought, Lauren mused before turning back to her mentor.

"Hey my sister's flying in to visit so I'll be back, I just wanted to see if you'd made any progress?" Buffy asked, her voice quivering a little. Lauren breathed a sigh of hopeful relief; sure that Dawn had found a cure and that she'd be back to herself in no time.

"No, there's a longer list of what we know it's not than what we know it is. Go get your sister, I'll call if there's any change." House answered and Buffy nodded, hesitated a moment and went to him where she embraced him briefly before letting go and striding back out.

Lauren and House watched her walk out before he turned back to the board and she spoke softly, knowing he wouldn't hear. "She really does care about you, and you care about her. I hope you aren't like Angel, Riley or Spike. I'd hate to have to kill you; she doesn't need any more heartbreak."

Lauren left and traveled back to her room, hoping that Buffy returned with Dawn and some kind of solution. House watched Buffy leave and turned back to the board, ignoring the strange feeling he had that he hadn't been alone in the room.

By the time Buffy got to the airport to collect Dawn, it was starting to get dark but she barely noticed. Driving back to the house where she could drop off Dawn's things and half-listening to her sibling's rambling, Buffy's thoughts turned to the past few months and to House. What was she going to do about him, she'd have to tell him the truth soon, and he was bound to have questions once Dawn's spell woke Lauren. Maybe he'd think one of the medicines had worked, she thought but knew House enough by now to know he wouldn't buy it.

"The other slayers are all Eee! You know?" Dawn rambled, unaware that her sister was only half-listening. "I mean c'mon, some of these demons aren't even that tough but they're all gung-ho about it."

Dawn glanced across the car and noticed that Buffy was obviously elsewhere and poked her sister's shoulder. "Hey, you in there? Earth to Buffy?"

Buffy smiled at her sister and turned into the hospital parking lot, getting out a moment later and walking toward the doors, Dawn hurrying to follow. Dawn discreetly watched the doctors and patients as Buffy led the way to Lauren's room, looking for the infamous doctor that Willow had mentioned Buffy was dating.

Once in Lauren's room, they were relieved to find there were no doctors in sight and closed the blinds for the privacy the spell required. Buffy went to Lauren's side and looked down on the pale girl while Dawn reached into her backpack and pulled out an ancient looking tome. Flipping through the pages until she found the right one, Dawn began to speak aloud in another language. There wasn't much of a visible sign, no bright lights or glow around Lauren but once Dawn stopped speaking, the machines started to go off.

Doctors and nurses rushed in yelling and Buffy pulled Dawn out of the way, confused and afraid. "What happened Dawnie?" Buffy demanded in a low voice.

"This is supposed to happen, its normal Buffy. The machines will go haywire then she'll stabilize and wake up." Dawn answered in a low voice.

They waited with bated breath as the doctors and nurses worked and Buffy almost cried with relief once the doctors said she was stabilizing. "Come on Lauren, wake up." Buffy whispered, clutching her sister's hand tightly.

The minutes passed slowly but Lauren's eyes started to flutter as she regained consciousness. Buffy and Dawn approached her bed once the nurses backed off and Buffy closed her hand over Lauren's as the younger girl focused her eyes on the pair.

"Hey," Lauren croaked softly and Buffy smiled.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: the plot bunny for this wouldn't cease in it's attacks so I wrote this. Characters belong to their creators. "House" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by HEEL AND TOE FILMS and BAD HAT HARRY PRODUCTIONS in association with NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION. All Rights Reserved. "Buffy" was created by Joss Whedon and belongs to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television and the WB Television Network.**

**Chapter 31**

He found her on the roof, it seemed like he always found her, often when she wouldn't have minded him to. She wondered what he had been like before she came, since everyone said he had changed. He was a snarky man, she could just picture him terrorizing the patients and Cuddy. The thought made her smile.

"Your charge is being released." He spoke, watching her still form as he limped up beside her. It had been less than a week since Lauren had woken and begun to heal, so he had no medical reason to keep her any longer. Buffy had spoken to her father, he'd begun treatment with Wilson and now it was time that she and Dawn return to England to assist with the newest big bad. House still had questions, many of them in fact but Buffy had never really answered any he posed to her before. "How is she healing so fast?" He threw at her, hoping to startle her into answering but she only smiled some more.

"I know you have a lot of questions about me," Buffy stated. Her hands were in her jeans pockets, her gaze never left the view of the nearby buildings. "I also know that if you wanted, you could have followed me or tried harder to figure them out. Yet you haven't."

House looked out upon the grounds below, then reached into his jacket and popped a Vicodin. Her hand shot out quicker than he would have believed possible and grabbed the bottle from him. He scowled but wasn't going to resort to childishly trying to grab it back, watching as she read the label.

"Does it always hurt?" She asked softly, returning his property to him.

"Yes."

Buffy let her mind wander, wondering at her life that was so now much different from the Hellmouth. Things had changed, **she** had changed. She had a wider view on life it felt like, and on people. She thought back to an hour before when she'd received a call from Giles:

_"Hello Buffy? It's Giles. I'm afraid I have some rather worrying news._

_According to my research there's to be a demon trying to raise Kolothukai, a pagan god._

_Anyway, it's a little too tough for the girls and I would appreciate it if you and Dawn could catch a flight here._

_Lauren can come if she is willing, it would be a chance for her to meet the other girls. Please let me know."_

Buffy hated Apocalypse season.

It was yet another reminder that she could not escape her calling, no matter that she had made friends in the hospital and had House's company to enjoy. She wasn't concerned about this latest end-the-world mission, she had averted far too many in her time to be concerned. But ever since that moment, that horrible moment in the battle with the First as she watched her girls fall, she took time to appreciate the world. Just in case...

"Why don't you just tell me then?" House broke the silence, going back to their earlier discussion. Buffy laughed, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Now what would be the fun in that?" She smiled at him and he grudgingly returned it. "I have to go somewhere for a while, I'm needed at home." She seemed to be searching for something in him so he shrugged, "I've got cases, if I could sneak off I would too."

Buffy nodded, satisfied. Whatever answer she had been looking for, she found. "When I return, we'll sit and I'll tell you what you want to know. Deal?"

"How badly will I get hurt if I try to find out again?"

"Limbs. The coming off kind of way."

"Right, later it is."

Buffy laughed again, "I should get going, there's a flight in two hours with my name on it." Buffy didn't budge though, just looked at House, taking in everything. She was surprised to find that she would miss him very much, and hoped there would be a later. If there was anything Sunnydale and being the Slayer had taught her, it was that she wasn't invincible. He held her gaze, waiting until she was done before he nonchalantly brushed a kiss over her mouth. A moment later his pager went off and they groaned in unison.

Buffy cleared her throat and walked slightly ahead of him to the roof stairs then turned back as a thought occurred to her. "House? I have a b teeeeensy /b favor..."

**Two hours later:**

House glanced down at the little furball who had taken up residence on his yellow chair. The cat seemed to sense that it was Buffy's favorite and had immediately claimed it as his. House sighed and scratched the cat lightly behind the ears on the way out the door, hoping Buffy returned soon.

_A/N: I promise there will be a sequel if any are interested, but I felt bad for leaving this wide open. I hope this was a good enough end. Thank you for all the reviews, recommendations and support, it was awesome! Let me know in a review if there should be a sequel!_


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